A 48-year-old man was convicted and sentenced to three months' imprisonment at Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (September 6) for possession of illicit cigarettes, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance.
Customs officers intercepted an incoming male passenger at Lo Wu Control Point yesterday (September 5) and seized 16 400 illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $44,000 and a duty potential of about $31,000 from a suitcase he was carrying.
Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Thursday, September 6, 2018