Officers of the Revenue and General Investigation Bureau and the Special Task Force of Hong Kong Customs have mounted a two-month special operation targeting "courier" passengers involved in the smuggling of illicit cigarettes through the control points on the East Rail Line. During the operation, Customs detected a total of 31 cases and arrested 34 people, including 23 men and 11 women, aged from 24 to 73. About 150,000 sticks of illicit cigarettes, worth about $290,000 with a dutiable value of $180,000, were seized, and 16 storage premises were also smashed.
Speaking at a press briefing on the operation today (April 1), the Deputy Head of the Revenue and General Investigation Bureau, Mr Kong Shui-wing, said that the operation started in February, and Customs had been stepping up enforcement action targeting the smuggling of illicit cigarettes by the "couriers" at the control points on the East Rail Line. Different strategies, including risk management and surveillance, were also adopted to enhance enforcement.
The Customs found that the "courier" passengers smuggled the illicit cigarettes into Hong Kong by concealing the cigarettes in their clothes or luggage, or packed against their bodies. The cigarettes would then be handed over to syndicates. Some "couriers" even used their residential premises as a storage facility and sold the illicit cigarettes in their area nearby. During the operation, 16 storage facilities were smashed, with the stored illicit cigarettes ranging from 3,000 sticks to 36,000 sticks.
Mr Kong stressed that stepped-up operations against the smuggling of illicit cigarettes, especially on couriers making use of the East Rail Line, would continue. With the Easter holiday approaching, an upsurge of passenger flow to and from the Mainland is anticipated. Mr Kong reminded members of the public not to bring in cigarettes exceeding the duty-free concessions on their return to Hong Kong.
Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession, selling and buying of illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for two years and a fine of $1 million.
The public is urged to report suspected illicit cigarette activities to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182.
Ends/Thursday, April 1, 2010
