Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for possession of duty-not-paid cigarettes
An incoming passenger was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment with a fine of $2,000 by the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (May 6) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
Customs officers intercepted the incoming 32-year-old male passenger yesterday (May 5) at the West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and seized 2 161 duty-not-paid cigarettes from his personal baggage, with an estimated market value of about $8,860 and a duty potential of about $7,140. He was subsequently arrested.
Customs welcomes the sentence, noting that even a first-time offender may still be imprisoned. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. Members of the public should not defy the law.
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 possession of duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs, FSD and Police mount territory-wide joint operation against illicit fuel activities
Hong Kong Customs, the Fire Services Department (FSD) and the Hong Kong Police Force mounted a territory-wide joint operation codenamed "Knockout" targeting illicit fuel activities from April 13 to 30, aiming to cut off the supply of illicit fuel and tackle illegal fuelling activities in downtown areas. Officers of Customs, the FSD and the Police detected 19 related cases, and seized more than 21 000 litres of illicit fuel, 15 vehicles and one speedboat with an estimated market value of about $3.3 million. A total of 27 persons were arrested.
During the operation, Customs strengthened enforcement against the sources of illicit fuel. Customs officers detected four cases of land smuggling of illicit fuel at the Heung Yuen Wai Control Point and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port. They seized about 1 200 litres of illicit motor spirit and four vehicles with fuel tanks suspected to be altered for smuggling, and arrested four male drivers. Customs also detected three cases of sea smuggling of illicit fuel near Ninepin Group, Castle Peak Bay and Cheung Chau, seized about 4 000 litres of illicit motor spirit and arrested five male crew members.
In addition, officers of Customs, the FSD and the Police also shut down five illicit mobile motor spirit fuelling stations in Lok Fu, Kowloon Bay, Wong Tai Sin, Kai Tak and Tsing Yi. They seized about 2 200 litres of illicit motor spirit and nine vehicles involved in supplying or receiving illicit fuel, and arrested four workers of illicit fuelling stations and five persons suspected to have patronised the fuelling stations.
Officers of the three departments also raided an illicit motor spirit fuelling station and an illicit fuel storage site in Tsuen Wan and Yuen Long respectively. About 800 litres of illicit motor spirit, 1 600 litres of illicit diesel and two private cars involved in the cases were seized. Four persons were arrested. In addition, officers of the FSD also raided a total of four illegal diesel fuelling stations in Kowloon Bay and Shau Kei Wan. About 9 400 litres of diesel along with a batch of fuelling equipment were seized. Five persons in connection with the cases were intercepted.
Investigations are ongoing. Customs will continue to collaborate with the FSD and the Police in combating illicit fuel activities. Members of the public are also urged not to patronise illicit fuelling stations. The use of illicit fuel is a criminal offence, and vehicles involved may be liable to confiscation.
According to the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109), any vehicle found conveying illicit motor spirit, as well as any tools, equipment, or articles used or intended to be used in connection with the commission of related offences, shall be liable to forfeiture whether or not any person is convicted of any offence. Anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit motor spirit commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
Under the Fire Services (Fire Hazard Abatement) Regulation (Cap. 95F), it is an offence to possess or control any controlled substance for the business purpose of transferring it into vehicle fuel tanks. The Dangerous Goods Ordinance (Cap. 295) also provides that no person shall manufacture, store, convey or use any dangerous goods unless they possess a licence or exemption granted. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty for the first offence is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for six months. For each subsequent offence, the maximum penalty is a $200,000 fine and imprisonment for one year.
Moreover, Customs reminds cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers not to engage in any smuggling activities. Under the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO), any person who alters the fittings, fabric or structure, or makes use of the altered fittings, fabric or structure, of any vehicle for the purpose of smuggling commits an offence. The vehicle may also be subject to forfeiture.
Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the IEO, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Members of the public are urged to report suspected illicit fuel activities via the Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or the FSD's 24-hour hotline 5577 9666. The public may also report through the Illicit Fuelling Activities on the Fire Hazard Electronic Complaint Portal of the FSD (fhcp.hkfsd.gov.hk).
Hong Kong Customs, FSD and Police mount territory-wide joint operation against illicit fuel activities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs, FSD and Police mount territory-wide joint operation against illicit fuel activities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs, FSD and Police mount territory-wide joint operation against illicit fuel activities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
