Hong Kong Customs yesterday (February 11) swooped on a cross-boundary illicit cigarette smuggling syndicate in Sheung Shui. On board a cross-boundary lorry, a total of 92 boxes containing 1.1 million sticks of duty-not-paid cigarette were found. The total value is about $2.8 million with a duty potential of $1.9 million. In the operation, two men, aged 41 and 54 respectively, were arrested and the cross-boundary lorry was seized.
At about 1.30pm yesterday, while conducting an anti-illicit cigarette operation in Sheung Shui area, Customs officers of Anti-illicit-cigarette Investigation Division spotted a cross-boundary lorry in a public car park at Fung Nam Road, Sheung Shui. Two men were seen off-loading some wooden boxes from the lorry to a local rental lorry. Customs officers then took action and found 92 boxes of illicit cigarette. The two men were arrested immediately.
Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession, selling and buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty on conviction is imprisonment for two years and a fine of $1 million.
Customs will continue to take stringent enforcement against cigarette smuggling activities to protect government revenue.
Members of the public are urged to report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to the Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182.
Ends/Sunday, February 12, 2012
