A spokesman for the Customs and Excise Department today (February 7) warned members of the public that if they brought orchids into Hong Kong from the Mainland without licence, they were liable to prosecution.
In the past two days (February 5 and 6), Customs officers seized 78 pots of orchids and arrested 28 incoming passengers at various boundary control points. The arrested persons, aged between 27 and 76, had been handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for follow-up investigation.
"With the approach of Lunar New Year, some people may bring into Hong Kong orchid flowers purchased in the Mainland. However, the importation of orchids without a licence is prohibited under the Animals and Plants (Protection of Endangered Species) Ordinance," the spokesman said.
According to Section 4 of Animals and Plants (Protection of Endangered Species) Ordinance, no person shall, on his own behalf or on behalf of any other person, import any endangered species, such as orchids, except under and in accordance with a licence issued by Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. Any person who contravenes shall be liable on conviction to a fine at $100,000 and imprisonment for one year.
The spokesman added that the importation into Hong Kong of endangered species required import licences or permits to be issued in advance by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.
In addition, under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, a returning Hong Kong resident aged 18 or above who has spent 24 hours or longer outside the territory may bring in free of duty 60 sticks of cigarettes for his own use.
Incoming passengers must declare to a Customs officer at a control point any quantity of dutiable cigarettes in their possession in excess of the duty-free concession. If they fail to make a declaration or make a false or incomplete declaration, they may be prosecuted or fined under the Compounding Scheme.
Under the Compounding Scheme, a person is required to pay a penalty equivalent to five times the duty payable on the dutiable goods concerned, plus a fine of $2,000. If the duty payable on the dutiable goods concerned exceeds $10,000, or if a person has been compounded five times or more in the last two years, the person will be prosecuted.
Possession of undeclared dutiable cigarettes in excess of the duty-free concession is an offence. Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone convicted is liable to a maximum penalty of a $1 million fine and two years' imprisonment.
The spokesman said that Customs would continue to conduct vigorous checks on incoming passengers to prevent abuse of the cigarette duty-free concession and to stop prohibited items from entering Hong Kong.
He appealed to the public to be patient and co-operative when undergoing Customs checks.
Members of the public are advised to obtain details from the Hong Kong Customs website
(http://www.customs.gov.hk/eng/advice_advice_e.html).
Ends/Monday, February 7, 2005