Hong Kong Customs detected two suspected smuggling cases involving ocean-going vessels on September 9 and 19. Large batches of suspected smuggled goods with a total estimated market value of about $150 million were seized.
Through intelligence analysis and risk assessment, Customs discovered that criminals intended to use ocean-going vessels to smuggle goods. Strategies were thus formulated, with two suspicious containers scheduled to depart from Hong Kong to Singapore, and one suspicious container prepared to be shipped to Taiwan, via ocean-going vessels selected for inspection.
Customs inspected the three containers that were declared as carrying "household electric items" and "screen, wafer of IC, backlight, computer, game console base, cosmetics and DVD player" on September 9 and 19. Upon examinations, Customs officers found large batches of suspected smuggled goods, including mobile phones, accessories, cosmetics, circuit boards and integrated circuits, in the containers.
An investigation is ongoing. The likelihood of arrests is not ruled out.
Being a government department primarily responsible for tackling smuggling activities, Customs has long been combating various smuggling activities at the forefront. Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to fiercely combat sea smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to disrupt relevant crimes.
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 upon conviction.
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) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Ends/Thursday, September 26, 2024
