Woman Sentenced to Three Months for Smuggling Duty-Free Cigarettes at Hong Kong Airport

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes

​An incoming female passenger was sentenced to three months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (November 15) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Customs officers intercepted the incoming female passenger, aged 40, at Hong Kong International Airport on November 13 and seized 30 200 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $135,000 and a duty potential of about $99,000, from her personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.

Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public that 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 $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).

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects case of suspected illicit motor spirit

Hong Kong Customs on March 9 detected an illicit motor spirit case involving a fishing vessel in the waters off So Kwun Wat, Tuen Mun, and seized 1 260 litres of suspcted illicit motor spirit. A man aged 75 was arrested.

In the afternoon on March 9, Customs identified and intercepted a suspicious fishing vessel being towed with two sampans during a sea patrol in the northwest area of Hong Kong waters. The batch of illicit motor spirit, with an estimated market value of about $38,000 and a duty potential of about $7,600, was found on the three vessels upon search. The 75-year-old captain of the fishing vessel, suspected of violating the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO), was arrested.

Under the DCO, anyone involved in importing, dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit motor spirit 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 illicit fuel 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 detects case of suspected illicit motor spirit Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases