Hong Kong Customs raids suspected illicit cigarette storage centre
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (November 5) raided a suspected illicit cigarette storage centre in Tsuen Wan, seizing about 750 000 suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $3.38 million and a duty potential of about $2.48 million. One person was arrested.
Customs officers conducted an anti-illicit cigarette operation in Tsuen Wan yesterday and intercepted a suspicious 30-year-old man in a private residential estate. The man was then escorted to his residence there for a search, where the batch of suspected illicit cigarettes was seized. The man was subsequently arrested. After preliminary investigations, Customs believes that the suspected illicit cigarette storage centre was primarily used to supply illicit cigarettes to areas in Tsuen Wan.
The arrested person was charged with "dealing with goods to which the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance applies" and will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (November 7).
Customs reminds members of the public that 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 $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).
Hong Kong Customs raids suspected illicit cigarette storage centre Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
