We hold the following types of personal data:

• Operational records - personal data are collected from individuals during the daily operation of the Department. Examples are personal data collected from the following categories of data subjects: importers, cross boundary passengers and drivers having undergone customs clearance or selected for personal search, consignee or his representative who witnesses the process of cargo examination, visitors boarding a vessel selected for customs action, airline staff collecting unclaimed baggage, persons whose belongings are detained/seized and persons submitting Import Return on motor vehicles;
• Licensing records - these include personal particulars of applicants for Dutiable Commodities licences, licences / authorizations to import / export controlled chemicals, permits to remove controlled chemicals in transhipment, storage approval for the storage of Schedule 1 (Opens a new window) or Schedule 2 substances under the Control of Chemicals Ordinance, Chapter 145, Laws of Hong Kong (Opens a new window) , licences for the manufacture of optical discs, registration as motor vehicle importer / distributor, waiving of duty on hydrocarbon oils, etc;
• Crime investigation and prosecution records - including personal data on suspects, defendants and witnesses who are involved in illegal activities such as smuggling, drug trafficking and abuse of narcotic drugs, intellectual property infringements, false trade description of goods involving origin, licensing and transhipment frauds, illegal import and export of strategic commodities, provision of services for the development and production of weapons of mass destruction, offences against the Ordinances enforced by the Department such as Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, Chapter 109, Laws of Hong Kong (Opens a new window) , Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance, Chapter 456, Laws of Hong Kong (Opens a new window) , Import and Export Ordinance, Chapter 60, Laws of Hong Kong (Opens a new window) and so on;
• Criminal conviction records - these include personal data on persons who have been arrested or convicted of offences;
• Employment-related personal data on serving officers and former employees - these personal data include records of personal and family particulars, education and qualifications, employment history, salary and allowances, terms and conditions of service, housing, medical records, leave and passages, training, investments, outside employment, appraisal reports, promotion board assessments, conduct and discipline and retirement and pension; and
• Other records - including members of the public who make requests under the Code on Access to Information and the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance or make enquiries or complaints to the Department.

The Department also holds personal data of persons other than civil servants, including applicants for vacant posts (for appointment as Inspector of Customs and Excise, Customs Officer and Assistant Trade Controls Officer) and non-civil service contract staff employed by the Department.