Hong Kong Customs detects two large-scale sea smuggling cases and seizes suspected illicit cigarettes worth about $68 million
Hong Kong Customs recently mounted enforcement operations to combat large-scale illicit cigarette smuggling activities by sea and detected two cases on January 31 and February 4, during which a total of about 15.22 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $68 million and a duty potential of about $50 million were seized. Eight men were arrested.
In the first case, Customs on January 31 intercepted a suspicious ocean-going cargo vessel in the northwestern waters off Lamma Island. Upon inspection, Customs officers seized about 7.62 million suspected illicit cigarettes concealed inside the false compartments built within four empty containers onboard the vessel. Eight non-local men, aged between 21 and 59, suspected to be connected with the case were arrested, comprising a captain and seven crew members. The arrested captain was charged with importing unmanifested cargoes.
In the second case, through risk assessment and intelligence analysis, Customs officers on February 4 selected for inspection a 40-foot container, declared as carrying socks and arriving from Taiwan, China, at the Kwai Chung Customhouse Cargo Examination Compound. Upon inspection, Customs officers seized about 7.6 million suspected illicit cigarettes inside the container.
Investigations of the cases are ongoing. Customs will continue to trace the source and flow of the illicit cigarettes. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
Customs believes that, with the imminent arrival of the Lunar New Year, cigarette smuggling syndicates attempted to stockpile large quantities of illicit cigarettes to supply both local and overseas markets. The operation results demonstrate the effectiveness of Customs' enforcement strategy in combating cigarette smuggling at source. Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multipronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to spare no effort in combating 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. In addition, 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 detects two large-scale sea smuggling cases and seizes suspected illicit cigarettes worth about $68 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects two large-scale sea smuggling cases and seizes suspected illicit cigarettes worth about $68 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects two large-scale sea smuggling cases and seizes suspected illicit cigarettes worth about $68 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
S for S intends to make recommendation to CE-in-C on striking-off order against three companies relating to Apple Daily
Following the Court of First Instance of the High Court's conviction and sentence of Apple Daily Limited, Apple Daily Printing Limited and AD Internet Limited (three companies relating to Apple Daily) for offences endangering national security, the Secretary for Security yesterday (February 11), pursuant to Article 31 of the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL) and section 360C of the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32), issued written notices to the three companies respectively, affording them an opportunity to make representations, before the Secretary for Security recommends the Chief Executive-in-Council (CE-in-C) to order the Registrar of Companies to strike the three companies off the Companies Register.
A spokesperson for the Security Bureau said, "Lai Chee-ying and the three companies relating to Apple Daily were prosecuted with a total of three charges of offences endangering national security, including 'conspiracy to commit collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security' (contrary to Article 29 of the HKNSL and sections 159A and 159C of the Crimes Ordinance), and 'conspiracy to print, publish, sell, offer for sale, distribute, display and/or reproduce seditious publications' (contrary to sections 10, 159A and 159C of the Crimes Ordinance). The Court convicted Lai Chee-ying and the three defendant companies of all charges on December 15, 2025 and handed down sentences on February 9 this year. Amongst others, the three companies relating to Apple Daily were each sentenced to a fine of HK$3,004,500.
"The Court pointed out in its Reasons for Verdict that Lai Chee-ying closely managed and exercised hands-on control on the editorial direction of Apple Daily. Whether pre- or post- HKNSL, Lai Chee-ying utilised Apple Daily's platform to publish seditious articles, and requested foreign countries to impose sanctions or blockades or engage in other hostile activities against the People's Republic of China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). The senior management of Apple Daily were fully aware of Lai Chee-ying's intention and provided support by executing his editorial directions. The conspiracies in the charges were facilitated by the three companies relating to Apple Daily, and they were knowing and willing parties to the conspiracies. The Court also held in its Reasons for Sentence that the offence of 'conspiracy to print, publish, sell, offer for sale, distribute, display and/or reproduce seditious publications' in this case fell within the most serious category for its type, and the two offences of 'conspiracy to commit collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security' fell within the category of offences of 'a grave nature'."
"Article 31 of the HKNSL stipulates that the operation of an incorporated or unincorporated body such as a company or an organization shall be suspended or its licence or business permit shall be revoked if the body has been punished for committing an offence under that law. The HKSAR Government has a responsibility to enforce the relevant provisions in Article 31 of the HKNSL regarding the three companies relating to Apple Daily."
"Taking into account the relevant circumstances of the case, including the conviction and seriousness of the offences committed by the three companies relating to Apple Daily, the Secretary for Security now considers that it is necessary for safeguarding national security to prohibit the operation or continued operation of these three companies in Hong Kong, and therefore intends to make a recommendation to the CE-in-C to consider exercising the power under section 360C of the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32) to order the Registrar of Companies to strike the three companies relating to Apple Daily off the Companies Register."
"The Secretary for Security has issued written notices to the three relevant companies respectively, affording them an opportunity to make written representations by February 25. When the Secretary for Security makes the relevant recommendation to the CE-in-C, the written representations submitted by the three relevant companies (if any) will be submitted together to the CE-in-C for a decision whether or not to make the order."
"If the CE-in-C eventually decides to order the Registrar of Companies to strike the three companies relating to Apple Daily off the Companies Register, the three companies will become 'prohibited organizations'. Any person who engages in the acts specified in sections 62 to 65 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) commits an offence, including acting as an office-bearer or a member of a prohibited organization and giving aids of any kind to a prohibited organization, and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $1,000,000 and imprisonment for 14 years."
The spokesperson pointed out, "The HKSAR Government steadfastly safeguards the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong people as protected under the law. Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, human rights in the city have always been robustly guaranteed constitutionally by both the Constitution and the Basic Law. The HKNSL and the SNSO also clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, and that the rights and freedoms, including the freedoms of speech, of the press, of publication, of association, of assembly, of procession and of demonstration, that Hong Kong residents enjoy under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applied to Hong Kong, shall be protected in accordance with the law. Nonetheless, just as the case with other places in the world, such rights and freedoms are not absolute. The ICCPR also expressly states that some of them may be subject to restrictions as prescribed by law that are necessary for the protection of national security, public safety, public order or the rights and freedoms of others, etc."
The spokesperson stressed, "Safeguarding national security is a matter of fundamental importance. Endangering national security is a very serious offence. Such acts or activities may lead to extremely grave consequences. The Government of the HKSAR will, as always, resolutely, fully, and faithfully implement the HKNSL, the SNSO, and other relevant laws of the HKSAR for safeguarding national security to effectively prevent, suppress, and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security in accordance with the law, and prohibit the operation of organizations that engage in activities endangering national security in the HKSAR."
Source: AI-found images
