Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes
An incoming passenger was sentenced to three months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (May 19) 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 29, at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (May 18) and seized 31 200 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $156,000 and a duty potential of about $103,100, 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).
Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Department of Justice releases "Prosecutions Hong Kong 2025"
The Prosecutions Division of the Department of Justice (DoJ) today (May 19) released "Prosecutions Hong Kong 2025", which reviews its work in 2025.
This annual report, themed "Walk in Justice, Now and Forever More", provides an in-depth review of how the Prosecutions Division remained steadfast in upholding the rule of law and discharging its duty as a minister of justice amid an increasingly complex criminal landscape.
Core value - prosecutorial independence as the cornerstone of the rule of law
In the Director's Overview, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Maggie Yang, emphasised that prosecutorial independence enshrined in Article 63 of the Basic Law is the cornerstone of the criminal justice system in Hong Kong. Public prosecutors "walk in justice" by ensuring that justice is delivered to victims of crime, defendants, and the community as a whole in a fair, impartial, and even-handed manner at every stage of the criminal justice process.
International co-operation - a global showcase of Hong Kong's rule of law
In 2025, Hong Kong organised the 15th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference, hosted by the Supreme People's Procuratorate of the People's Republic of China. The Conference brought together around 80 prosecutors to discuss challenges in combating money laundering and corruption in the technological age. It not only marked a milestone in regional criminal justice co-operation, but also showcased Hong Kong's unwavering commitment to and unique position in upholding the rule of law under the "one country, two systems" principle.
Professional effectiveness - statistics and key cases
Over the past year, the Prosecutions Division demonstrated its outstanding professional efficiency while handling a substantial workload. The annual report presents various prosecutorial statistics and, through an overview of the duties of and notable cases handled by each subdivision, demonstrates their dedication to maintaining the effective operation of the criminal justice system.
"Prosecutions Hong Kong 2025" is now available on the DoJ website (www.doj.gov.hk/en/publications/yrreviewpd2025.html). Members of the public can also scan the QR code on the physical "Justice Link" information card to access the full electronic version.
Source: AI-found images
