Hong Kong Customs Signs MOU with Taobao & Tmall to Enhance E-commerce Cooperation and Consumer Protection

Hong Kong Customs signs MOU with Taobao & Tmall

Today (February 11), the Assistant Commissioner of Customs and Excise (Intelligence and Investigation), Mr Wong Ho-yin, witnessed by the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-tat, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Taobao& Tmall at the Customs Headquarters Building to establish a closer co-operative relationship.

At the signing ceremony, Mr Chan said that Taobao & Tmall has long been working hand in hand with Hong Kong Customs. The corporation is not only a member of the World Customs Organization Regional Private Sector Group-Asia Pacific, providing valuable insights from the business perspective on customs affairs and international trade, but this time Taobao & Tmall has become the first cross-boundary e-commerce platform to sign an MOU with Hong Kong Customs, marking an important milestone in the co-operation between the two parties. Through the signing of the MOU, both sides will establish a closer communication and collaboration mechanism, strengthen compliance promotion, and work together to prevent prohibited or controlled items from entering Hong Kong through online shopping channels, thereby providing more comprehensive protection for consumers.

The Head of the Hong Kong & Macau Taobao Marketplace, Mr Lok Ding, also stated that Taobao& Tmall will continue to optimise its internal monitoring system and make good use of technological means, such as big data and AI, to strengthen supervision of product listings, transaction processes, and after-sales services. The goal is to achieve "prevention beforehand, monitoring during the process, and follow-up afterwards," in order to develop the business in a responsible and sustainable manner, and to work together with Hong Kong Customs to construct a robust line of defense.

Hong Kong Customs will continue to adopt innovative thinking in its development, strengthen co-operation with the industry, and steadfastly uphold the mission of safeguarding Hong Kong and facilitating legitimate trade.

Photo shows the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-tat (front row, centre), with other attending officers of Hong Kong Customs and representatives of Taobao & TMall. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Assistant Commissioner of Customs and Excise (Intelligence and Investigation) of Customs and Excise, Mr Wong Ho-yin (second right), and the Head of the Hong Kong & Macau Taobao Marketplace, Mr Lok Ding (second left), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Hong Kong today (February 11). The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-tat (first right), and the Global General Counsel of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group, Ms Cindy Hui (first left), witnessed the signing of the MOU at the scene. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Assistant Commissioner of Customs and Excise (Intelligence and Investigation) of Customs and Excise, Mr Wong Ho-yin (second right), and the Head of the Hong Kong & Macau Taobao Marketplace, Mr Lok Ding (second left), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Hong Kong today (February 11). The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-tat (first right), and the Global General Counsel of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group, Ms Cindy Hui (first left), witnessed the signing of the MOU at the scene. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Photo shows the Head of the Hong Kong & Macau Taobao Marketplace, Mr Lok Ding, delivering a speech during the signing ceremony. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Photo shows the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-tat, delivering a speech during the signing ceremony. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million

Hong Kong Customs detected two dangerous drugs cases in Hong Kong International Airport and Yau Ma Tei respectively on April 1 and yesterday (April 2), and seized a total of about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine and about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine with a total estimated market value of about $3.4 million. Two persons suspected to be connected with the cases were arrested.

In the first case, a 43-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand on April 1. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine concealed inside food packaging in his baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.

In the second case, during an anti-narcotics operation conducted in Yau Ma Tei on April 2, Customs officers intercepted a 41-year-old man and later escorted him to a hotel room nearby for a search and seized about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine, a drug inhaling apparatus and a batch of drug packaging paraphernalia. The man was subsequently arrested.

The arrested persons have been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug respectively and will appear at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (April 4).

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods.

Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking 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 dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases