Four incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products
Two men and two women were each sentenced to four to six months' imprisonment and fined $500 at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts yesterday (April 28) and today (April 29) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare to Customs officers, as well as for importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) and the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).
Customs officers intercepted two incoming male passengers and two incoming female passengers, aged between 28 and 37, at Hong Kong International Airport on February 28 and March 3. About 138 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes and about 7 400 alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $588,000 and a duty potential of about $456,000 in total, were seized from their personal baggage. They were subsequently arrested.
Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.
Under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
Under the IEO, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Four incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Four incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Four incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Four incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France
The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, attended Viva Technology 2025 (VivaTech) in Paris, France, yesterday (June 13, Paris time). In his keynote speech at a seminar and networking reception themed "From Hong Kong to the World: Embarking on the New Journey of Innovation" organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Professor Sun said Hong Kong is forging ahead with a clear vision to develop as an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre, and is committed to pushing boundaries, embracing change, and seizing global opportunities.
Professor Sun said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been introducing agile policies, building world-class infrastructure and facilitating global I&T collaboration. He noted the flagship research and development (R&D) initiative, InnoHK, fosters global R&D collaboration. Hong Kong is also carrying out meticulous planning for building artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem, including AI Supercomputing Centre opened last year and the Hong Kong AI Research and Development Institute to be established, together with $10 billion dollars-worth Innovation and Technology Industry-Oriented Fund channeling more market capital to turbocharge strategic industries, with AI at the core.
Highlighting that Hong Kong being an ideal gateway for global enterprises to enter the Mainland market, Professor Sun said the HKSAR Government has been actively attracting overseas and the Mainland I&T enterprises to set up or expand their businesses in Hong Kong. Companies choosing HK for the international headquarters exemplify Hong Kong’s important role as a "super connector" and a "super value-adder" between Mainland China and the rest of the world, serving as a two-way springboard for attracting overseas enterprises and helping Mainland enterprises to "go global".
During the seminar and networking reception, Professor Sun also exchanged views with members of the local I&T sector, investors and start-ups' founders on I&T development and collaboration.
Professor Sun also visited the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion. Twenty start-ups from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and Cyberport participated this year, showcasing cutting-edge solutions and innovations in areas of AI, robotics, HealthTech, sustainable and ClimateTech, and Fintech. At the same time, Professor Sun toured the Canada Pavilion set up by Canada which was selected as country of the year for VivaTech 2025, the China Pavilion and pavilions set up by other leading enterprises and start-ups where he had a brief exchange with representatives of the participating organisations to learn more on their innovative solutions.
In the evening, Professor Sun met with Mr Emmanuel Carcassonne, the Chairman of La French Tech Hong Kong-Shenzhen, a community dedicated to supporting the development of the French startup ecosystem both in France and internationally. Professor Sun said that Hong Kong is a reliable partner for French startups to settle and expand businesses in Hong Kong.
In the afternoon, Professor Sun paid a courtesy call on Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in France Mr Chen Li, to brief him on the work of developing Hong Kong into an international I&T centre, enhancing the I&T ecosystem, fostering co-ordinated development among upstream, midstream and downstream, as well as the city's continuous efforts in integrating into national I&T development.
Professor Sun will continue his visit to Paris today (June 14, Paris time) and depart for the Netherlands on June 15 (Amsterdam time).
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
