Hong Kong Customs achieves notable results in intercepting illicit cigarettes at source during first half of 2025
Hong Kong Customs has long been committed to promoting Customs co-operation in the Asia-Pacific (A/P) region to combat cross-boundary illicit cigarette activities at source. Fruitful results have been achieved, with various kinds of cross-boundary cigarette smuggling cases detected. During the first half of this year, Customs detected 84 large-scale illicit cigarette smuggling cases and seized about 278 million illicit cigarettes in total, with an estimated market value of about $1.25 billion and a duty potential of about $920 million.
Following the Regional Conference on Combating Illicit Cigarettes cohosted with the Australian Border Force in November last year, Hong Kong Customs continues to actively strengthen regional co-operation in the A/P region, and adjusts its enforcement strategies in response to evolving smuggling trends to further step up enforcement actions to curb the inflow of illicit cigarettes at source.
Early this year, Hong Kong Customs and the anti-smuggling departments of Mainland Customs mounted a joint radar surveillance operation targeting maritime cigarette smuggling syndicates, detecting four large-scale maritime illicit cigarette smuggling cases, seizing a total of about 49 million illicit cigarettes on four fishing vessels.
Between March and July this year, Hong Kong Customs and Singapore Customs mounted a joint operation codenamed "Cutflow" and detected multiple large-scale cigarette smuggling cases by sea, seizing a total of about 107 million illicit cigarettes in 33 sea-borne containers arriving in Hong Kong from Singapore.
Customs also reinforced enforcement actions against air smuggling of illicit cigarettes. During the first half of this year, Customs mounted a special enforcement operation against illicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers, and detected 44 related cases with 48 passengers arrested and a total of about 1.4 million illicit cigarettes seized. Moreover, Customs detected multiple smuggling cases of illicit cigarettes through air parcels and seized a total of about 13 million illicit cigarettes. Eleven controlled delivery operations were conducted, and seven persons were arrested.
Customs will continue to maintain close liaison and strengthen intelligence exchanges with Mainland and other law enforcement agencies to vigorously combat cross-boundary illicit cigarette activities.
Customs stresses that smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction. Moreover, under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two 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).
Hong Kong Customs achieves notable results in intercepting illicit cigarettes at source during first half of 2025 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation
The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted an anti-illegal worker operation codenamed "Contribute" today (January 15).During the operation, ImmD Task Force officers raided premises under renovation in a newly built public housing estate in Sheung Shui district.A total of six suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer were arrested. Thearrested suspected illegal workers comprise six men, aged 22 to 41. Furthermore, one man, aged 45, suspected of employing the illegal workers, was also arrested. An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.
Apart from mounting the enforcement operation, ImmD officers and a promotional vehicle have been deployed to distribute "Don't Employ Illegal Workers" leaflets and convey the message in the estate.
An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."
The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.
For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 3861 5000, by fax at 2824 1166, email to anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form at www.immd.gov.hk.
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
