Two incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products
Two incoming Chinese male passengers were sentenced to between eight to ten weeks' imprisonment and fined $500 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (June 27) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes, failing to declare them to Customs officers, as well as for importing alternative smoking products (ASPs), in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) and the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).
Customs officers intercepted the two Chinese male passengers, aged 40 and 28, at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (June 26). Customs officers seized about 300 duty-not-paid cigarettes and a total of about 21 000 ASPs with an estimated market value of about $65,000 and a duty potential of about $1,000, from their baggage. The two passengers were subsequently arrested. They were respectively sentenced to eight weeks' imprisonment and a fine of $500, and ten weeks' imprisonment 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.
Under the IEO, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong 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).
Two incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
"Sea, Land, Sky"-themed Carnival leads public to explore Hong Kong's ICH items and geographical features
The Intangible Cultural Heritage Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department is holding the "ICH Wonder Adventure: Sea, Land & Sky" Carnival at the TKO Plaza in Tseung Kwan O today (June 27) and tomorrow (June 28). The Carnival is one of the programmes of Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Month 2026. With the theme "Sea, Land, Sky", the carnival brings together ICH items and the geographical features of Hong Kong. Through interactive games, experiential workshops and ICH displays, it will allow the public to explore Hong Kong ICH in a fun and engaging way.
The game zone of the Carnival is designed in a chessboard concept. Members of the public can participate on-site for free. Through a series of activities, including Fishing Net Casting, Salt Making Treasure Hunt, Movable-type Printing Trial, ICH Quiz Wheel and ICH ABC, the public may learn about the techniques of fishing net plaiting, fishing methods, salt-making and movable-type printing, as well as fishermen's knowledge about the universe and nature. After collecting stamps while playing to complete a postcard to be distributed on-site, the public may post it at the posting box in the Carnival, and will receive the postcard later with a stamp under the special series "Intangible Cultural Heritage - Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade", newly issued in mid-June 2026 by Hongkong Post. The public may also draw a dialect card, which will introduce common words and phrases in dialects including Cantonese, Hakka dialect, Wai Tau (Punti) dialect and Fishermen's dialect in texts and illustrations.
The public can join experiential workshops featuring wood carving, jewelry making and fishing net plaiting techniques on the first day. More workshops of various themes will be held tomorrow, including the mahjong tile making technique, in which participants will try their hand at carving and colouring mahjong tiles featuring designs that reflect Hong Kong's unique character and geographical features, such as pineapple buns, milk tea, aeroplanes and sailing ships. In the workshop on the jewelry making technique, the participants can create mobile phone stands resembling the vivid dance posture of auspicious animals by using jewelry making tools. In the workshop on the fishing net plaiting technique, participants will be guided by the instructor in making double-sided multi-use fishing net pouches. In the workshop on the blown sugar technique, the instructor will demonstrate and introduce the blown sugar technique, allowing the participants to produce their own blown sugar creations.
For details of the carnival, please visit the website: www.icho.hk/en/web/icho/2026_hkich_month_carnival_tko_plaza.html.
"Sea, Land, Sky"-themed Carnival leads public to explore Hong Kong's ICH items and geographical features Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
"Sea, Land, Sky"-themed Carnival leads public to explore Hong Kong's ICH items and geographical features Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
"Sea, Land, Sky"-themed Carnival leads public to explore Hong Kong's ICH items and geographical features Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
"Sea, Land, Sky"-themed Carnival leads public to explore Hong Kong's ICH items and geographical features Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
"Sea, Land, Sky"-themed Carnival leads public to explore Hong Kong's ICH items and geographical features Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
"Sea, Land, Sky"-themed Carnival leads public to explore Hong Kong's ICH items and geographical features Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
"Sea, Land, Sky"-themed Carnival leads public to explore Hong Kong's ICH items and geographical features Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
"Sea, Land, Sky"-themed Carnival leads public to explore Hong Kong's ICH items and geographical features Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
"Sea, Land, Sky"-themed Carnival leads public to explore Hong Kong's ICH items and geographical features Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
"Sea, Land, Sky"-themed Carnival leads public to explore Hong Kong's ICH items and geographical features Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
