Woman Sentenced to Eight Months for Importing $454,500 Worth of Duty-Not-Paid Cigarettes in Hong Kong

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

An incoming female passenger was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment and fined $600 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (February 6) 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 a 34-year-old incoming female passenger at Hong Kong International Airport on February 4 and seized about 101 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $454,500 and a duty potential of about $334,000 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, 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

Red tides sighted

Two red tides were sighted during the past week, the Inter-departmental Red Tide Working Group reported today (February 6).

On February 1, staff of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department spotted a red tide at Deep Water Bay Beach, Hong Kong Island. On February 2, staff of the Environmental Protection Department spotted another red tide at Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach. The red tide at Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach has dissipated, while the red tide at Deep Water Bay Beach still persists. No associated fish deaths have been reported as of today.

A spokesman for the working group said, "Both red tides were formed by Phaeocystis globosa, which is commonly found in Hong Kong waters. According to literature overseas, the algal species can produce foam that may affect fish."

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) urged mariculturists at the Lo Tik Wan, Sok Kwu Wan, Po Toi and Cheung Sha Wan fish culture zones to monitor the situation closely and increase aeration where necessary.

Red tide is a natural phenomenon. The AFCD's proactive phytoplankton monitoring programme will continue to monitor red tide occurrences to minimise the impact on the mariculture industry and the public.

The red tie. Photo source: reference image