Customs officers from Revenue and General Investigation Bureau yesterday morning (March 10) seized from a Mainland container at Kwai Chung Container Terminal 7.7 million sticks of illicit cigarettes, valued at about $11.64 million and with duty potential of $6.24 million. This was the first re-export cigarette smuggling case cracked by Customs this year.
Following intensive intelligence analysis, customs officers from Anti-Illicit-Cigarette Investigation Division identified a suspected river trade vessel with a 40-foot container, declared to be carrying 980 cartons of cookware. Illicit cigarettes were found inside the container after search.
Customs investigations showed that the container had arrived from Huangpu yesterday for onward transshipment to Germany. No arrest has been made so far.
"To continue its effective crackdown on transnational illicit cigarettes smuggling activities by circuitous routes, Hong Kong Customs will continue to adopt risk management and maintain close liaison with Customs authorities worldwide in intelligence exchange," a spokesman for Customs and Excise said today (March 11).
Under the Import and Export Ordinance, smuggling is a serious offence. The maximum penalty is a fine of $2 million and a seven-year imprisonment.
The spokesman reminded the public to report suspected illicit cigarettes smuggling activity to the Department by calling the 24-hour hotline 2545 6182.
Ends/Friday, March 11, 2005