Hong Kong Customs yesterday (November 28) conducted an anti-smuggling operation and detected a suspected smuggling case using fishing vessels in the southeast waters of Hong Kong. About 540 tonnes of suspected smuggled frozen meat with an estimated market value of about $50 million were seized. This is the largest frozen meat smuggling case detected by Customs in the past decade.
Customs earlier conducted an in-depth investigation on a smuggling syndicate and took enforcement action yesterday. Customs officers spotted four suspicious fishing vessels leaving Hong Kong in the southeast waters of Hong Kong and took immediate action to intercept the fishing vessels for examination. The batch of suspected smuggled frozen meat was seized on board the vessels.
In the operation, six men aged between 52 and 64 were arrested.
Investigation is ongoing.
Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Friday, November 29, 2019
