Three incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing and possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes
Three incoming passengers were sentenced to seven to eight months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 each by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (April 20) for importing and possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
Customs officers intercepted an incoming male passenger, aged 32, at Hong Kong International Airport on April 18 and seized about 44 400 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $182,000 and a duty potential of about $146,800, from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested. He was sentenced to seven months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 today.
Customs officers intercepted an incoming male passenger, aged 30, at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (April 19) and seized about 69 400 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $346,900 and a duty potential of about $229,400, from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested. He was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 today.
Moreover, Customs officers intercepted an inbound private car at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port yesterday. Upon inspection, Customs officers seized about 42 400 duty-not-paid cigarettes from the personal baggage of a 32-year-old incoming male passenger, with an estimated market value of about $216,000 and a duty potential of about $140,000. The passenger was subsequently arrested. He was sentenced to seven months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 today.
Customs welcomes the sentences. The custodial sentences have imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflect 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).
Three incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing and possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Three incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing and possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Three incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing and possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
