Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes
An incoming passenger was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (April 21) 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 52-year-old incoming male passenger at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (April 20) and seized 84 600 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $423,000 and a duty potential of about $279,600, from his 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).
An incoming male passenger was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (April 21) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance. Photo shows the duty-not-paid cigarettes seized. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects dangerous drugs case and seizes suspected drugs worth about $27 million
Hong Kong Customs detected a dangerous drugs case yesterday (May 12), and seized about 35.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine, 235 grams of suspected ketamine and 64g of suspected crack cocaine in Tseung Kwan O and Shau Kei Wan. The total estimated market value was about $27 million. A 31-year-old man was arrested.
During an anti-narcotics operation conducted in Tseung Kwan O yesterday afternoon, Customs officers intercepted a suspicious man and seized about 30kg of suspected cocaine inside a suitcase and a backpack carried by him. The man was subsequently arrested. Customs officers later escorted him to a residential premises nearby for a search and further seized about 5.4kg of suspected cocaine. Upon a follow-up investigation, the man was further brought to an industrial premises in Shau Kei Wan for a search, and about 307g of suspected cocaine, 235g of suspected ketamine, 64g of suspected crack cocaine and a batch of suspected drug packaging paraphernalia were seized.
The arrested man has been charged with three counts of trafficking in dangerous drugs and will appear at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (May 14).
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 dangerous drugs case and seizes suspected drugs worth about $27 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects dangerous drugs case and seizes suspected drugs worth about $27 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
