Hong Kong Customs Seizes About 52.8 Million Suspected Illicit Cigarettes Worth About $238 Million in Major Smuggling Crackdown

Hong Kong Customs detects two large-scale sea smuggling cases and seizes suspected illicit cigarettes worth about $238 million

Hong Kong Customs recently mounted enforcement operations to combat large-scale illicit cigarette smuggling activities by sea. From May 19 to 28, Customs detected two cases through intelligence exchanges, risk assessments and intelligence analyses. A total of about 52.8 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $238 million and a duty potential of about $175 million were seized.

In the first case, Customs officers selected six 40-foot containers, declared as carrying grinding tools, arriving from Taiwan, China, and destined to the Chinese Mainland via Hong Kong for inspection from May 19 to 21 at the Customs Tsing Yi Cargo Examination Compound and the Kwai Chung Customshouse Cargo Examination Compound. Upon inspection, Customs officers seized about 31.8 million suspected illicit cigarettes inside the six containers.

In the second case, Customs officers selected two 40-foot containers, declared as carrying industrial modular systems, arriving from Singapore and destined to the Chinese Mainland via Hong Kong for inspection on May 28 at the Kwai Chung Customshouse Cargo Examination Compound. Upon inspection, Customs officers seized about 21 million suspected illicit cigarettes inside the two containers.

The operations displayed Customs' enforcement effectiveness in intercepting cross-boundary illicit cigarettes at the source through co-operation with law enforcement agencies in the region. The department will continue to foster collaboration and strengthen intelligence exchanges between regional partners in law enforcement, and vigorously combat cross-boundary illicit cigarette activities.

Customs stresses that smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60), any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years. Moreover, under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109), any person who 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).

Hong Kong Customs recently mounted enforcement operations to combat large-scale illicit cigarette smuggling activities by sea. From May 19 to 28, Customs detected two cases through intelligence exchanges, risk assessments and intelligence analyses. A total of about 52.8 million sticks of suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $238 million and a duty potential of about $175 million were seized. Photo shows some of the suspected illicit cigarettes seized in the operations. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs recently mounted enforcement operations to combat large-scale illicit cigarette smuggling activities by sea. From May 19 to 28, Customs detected two cases through intelligence exchanges, risk assessments and intelligence analyses. A total of about 52.8 million sticks of suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $238 million and a duty potential of about $175 million were seized. Photo shows some of the suspected illicit cigarettes seized in the operations. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Employers and employees should make reasonable work arrangements after tropical cyclones or rainstorms

The Labour Department (LD) today (June 8) reminded employers to make practical and reasonable work arrangements for employees after the cancellation of tropical cyclone warnings or rainstorm warnings, with due consideration to the road and traffic conditions and other factors, and make flexible arrangements for staff to resume work or work remotely (if applicable). This will help maintain good labour-management relations, and ensure the safety of employees as well as the smooth operation of organisations.

"For staff who have genuine difficulties in resuming work on time upon cancellation of a tropical cyclone or rainstorm warning, employers should be sympathetic and handle each case flexibly. For example, employers may allow employees to resume work in stages, permit employees who have difficulties in returning to workplaces to work remotely (if applicable) or allow more time for them to report for duty and resume work," an LD spokesman said.

The spokesman reminded employers to observe the statutory liabilities and requirements under the Employment Ordinance, Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance, Employees' Compensation Ordinance and Minimum Wage Ordinance.

"As natural calamities cannot be avoided, for employees who are not able to report for duty or resume duty on time due to adverse weather or extreme conditions, employers should neither deduct their wages, good attendance bonus or allowances, nor reduce employees' entitlement to annual leave, statutory holidays or rest days under the Employment Ordinance, or ask for additional hours of work from employees to compensate for the loss of working hours when they are unable to report for duty," the spokesman said.

Employers should note that they have an obligation to provide and maintain a safe working environment for their employees under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance. Moreover, under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, employers are liable to pay compensation for injuries or deaths incurred when employees are travelling by a direct route from their residence to their workplace, or from their workplace back to their residence after work, four hours before or after working hours on a day when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or higher, a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or extreme conditions are in force.

The LD has published the "Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and 'Extreme Conditions'", which provides the major principles, reference guidelines and information on relevant legislation on making work arrangements for the reference of employers and employees. The booklet can be obtained from branch offices of the Labour Relations Division or downloaded from the department's webpage (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm.pdf).

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