Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes
An incoming male passenger was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment and fined by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (January 14) 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 male passenger, aged 41, at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (January 13) and seized about 86 900 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $391,000 and a duty potential of about $287,000, from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.
Customs welcomes the sentences. 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, cigarettes 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 seizes tortoises and lizards of suspected scheduled endangered species
Hong Kong Customs today (March 13) seized 14 tortoises and 25 lizards of suspected scheduled endangered species, with a total estimated market value of about $780,000, at Hong Kong International Airport.
A 26-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from South Africa via Dubai yesterday (March 12). He was intercepted for customs clearance at the arrivals hall of the airport. Customs officers found the batch of tortoises and lizards in two items of clothing and three plastic bottles inside his check-in baggage. Upon inspection by officers of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the batch of tortoises and lizards was suspected to be endangered species listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and regulated under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586) in Hong Kong.The man was subsequently arrested by Customs officers. The case was handed over to the AFCD for follow-up investigation.
The arrested man will be charged by the AFCD with one count of illegal import of an Appendix II species and one count of cruelty to animals.
Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person importing, exporting or possessing specimens of endangered species not in accordance with the Ordinance commits an offence and will be liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years upon conviction with the specimens forfeited.
Also, according to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance (Cap. 169), any person who, by wantonly or unreasonably doing or omitting to do any act, causes any unnecessary suffering to any animal commits an offence and will be liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for three years upon conviction.
Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline182 8080or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Hong Kong Customs seizes tortoises and lizards of suspected scheduled endangered species Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs seizes tortoises and lizards of suspected scheduled endangered species Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
