Three Incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes
Three incoming passengers were sentenced to two to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 respectively by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (May 18) 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 an incoming male passenger, aged 27, at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) on March 21. Customs officers seized about 40 600 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $182,700 and a duty potential of about $134,200, from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested. He was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 today.
Separately, Customs officers intercepted two incoming male passengers, aged 27 and 39, at HKIA on May 16 and seized around 16 500 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $68,000 and a duty potential of about $54,900, as well as around 60 400 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $271,800 and a duty potential of about $199,700, respectively, from their personal baggage. The two passengers were subsequently arrested. They were respectively sentenced to two months' imprisonment with a fine of $1,000, and six months' imprisonment with a fine of $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 were sentenced to two to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 respectively by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (May 18) 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 from the personal baggage of another 27-year-old incoming male passenger. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Three incoming passengers were sentenced to two to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 respectively by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (May 18) 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 from the personal baggage of a 39-year-old incoming male passenger. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Three incoming passengers were sentenced to two to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 respectively by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (May 18) 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 from the personal baggage of a 27-year-old incoming male passenger. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to commence visit to Germany (with photos/video)
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, led a delegation of the Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town under the Committee on Development of the Northern Metropolis to commence a visit to Germany yesterday (May 18, Aachen time). During the trip, site visits to local higher education and innovation and technology infrastructure will be arranged, providing a solid reference for the planning and development of the Northern Metropolis University Town (NMUT).
The delegation first visited RWTH Aachen University. Founded in 1870, RWTH Aachen University is the largest technology university in Germany, and a leading institution in engineering and applied sciences in Europe. The university is one of the nine members of the TU9, the alliance of leading universities of technology in Germany, and houses many national research centres, maintaining close ties with industry.
The delegation exchanged views with university representatives and stakeholders, and toured campus facilities, including WZL, one of the institutes of the university with the closest co-operation with industry and also one of Europe's largest production technology institutes; and a running demonstration factory that involves industry partners and also serves research and training purposes. They learned about the university's successful experience and practices in campus planning, industry-academia-research integration, innovation ecosystem development, technology transfers and interdisciplinary collaborations, thereby accumulating valuable practical references for the NMUT's campus ecosystem and industry-academia collaboration.
Mr Chan said that RWTH Aachen University is widely recognised for its achievement of translating fundamental research into real-world applications through an exceptionally strong industry-led model, and deep collaboration with corporations. He expressed hope to draw on the university's successful experience so that higher education and cutting-edge research can jointly drive technological breakthroughs and industrial advancement at the NMUT. He also expressed hope to learn from RWTH Aachen University's experience in nurturing long-term fundamental research while fostering close industry partnerships in order to further deepen the integration of industry, academia, and research at the NMUT.
Mr Chan and other members of the delegation will proceed to Stuttgart on May 19 (Aachen time) to continue their visit.
CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to commence visit to Germany (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to commence visit to Germany (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to commence visit to Germany (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to commence visit to Germany (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to commence visit to Germany (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to commence visit to Germany (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to commence visit to Germany (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CS leads delegation of Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town to commence visit to Germany (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
