Hong Kong Customs Re-elected WCO Vice-Chair for Asia/Pacific, Expands AEO Network in South America.

Commissioner of Customs and Excise leads delegation to Belgium to attend World Customs Organization meetings with fruitful results

The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Chan Tsz-tat, in his capacity as the World Customs Organization (WCO) Vice-Chairperson for the Asia/Pacific (A/P) Region, attended the 94th Session of the Policy Commission and the 147th/148th Customs Co-operation Council (CCC) Sessions of the WCO in Brussels, Belgium, from June 22 to 27. At the CCC Sessions of the WCO yesterday (June 27), Hong Kong Customs, in the name of Hong Kong, China, was re-elected as the WCO Vice-Chairperson for the A/P Region and elected as the Chairperson of the WCO Audit Committee.

Mr Chan in his capacity as the WCO Vice-Chairperson for the A/P Region, first led a delegation to attend the 94th Session of the Policy Commission from June 22 to 24, where he represented the interests and views of A/P members in discussions on WCO's strategic direction and functions.

Subsequently, from June 25 to 27, he also attended the 147th/148th CCC Sessions, the WCO's annual high-level meeting assembling heads and senior officials from 187 Customs administrations worldwide. The sessions serve as a pivotal platform for advancing global co-operation on enforcement, trade facilitation, standards development and capacity building. Hong Kong Customs was re-elected as the Vice-Chairperson for the A/P region (2026-28) and the Chairperson of the WCO Audit Committee (2026-27) during the sessions. Mr Chan said it was a privilege for Hong Kong Customs to assume these two important roles in leading the development of the A/P Region and making a greater contribution to the global Customs community. He expressed his sincere gratitude to all members for their continued trust and support, and pledged that Hong Kong Customs is committed to strengthening the bridge between theWCOandA/Pmembers, and to working together to build a more resilient, connected, and influential regional community.

On the sidelines of the sessions, Mr Chan met with the Secretary General of the WCO, Mr Ian Saunders, the WCO Council Chairperson, Mr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and other regional WCO Vice-Chairpersons to exchange views on various customs policies and future developments. In addition, Mr Chan also met with the Chairman of the Customs Committee under the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr Akmalkhuja Mavlonov, to strengthen mutual collaboration and explore future development opportunities.

Moreover, Mr Chan met with the Director General of the National Customs Service of the Republic of Chile, Ms Alejandra Arriaza Loeb, and signed the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on June 26, that enables AEOs of both economies to enjoy reciprocal trade facilitation benefits, including reduced inspection rates and prioritised customs clearance. The MRA marks the expansion of the Hong Kong AEO network to another South American economy following its first expansion to the region with the AEO MRA signed with Peruvian Customs in December last year.

To advance the development of the Hong Kong AEO Programme in the South American region, the Assistant Commissioner (WCO) of Customs and Excise, Mr Li Kin-kei, also signed an AEO MRA Action Plan with the Coordinator-General of Customs Administration of the Special Secretariat of the Federal Revenue of Brazil, Mr Felipe Mendes Moraes, on June 27, officially commencing the negotiations for an AEO MRA with Brazilian Customs.

Hong Kong Customs will continue to extend the AEO network, and continue its discussions on MRAs with Belt and Road economies, member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, as well as African and South American countries to further expand the MRA network.

Commissioner of Customs and Excise leads delegation to Belgium to attend World Customs Organization meetings with fruitful results Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Commissioner of Customs and Excise leads delegation to Belgium to attend World Customs Organization meetings with fruitful results Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Commissioner of Customs and Excise leads delegation to Belgium to attend World Customs Organization meetings with fruitful results Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Commissioner of Customs and Excise leads delegation to Belgium to attend World Customs Organization meetings with fruitful results Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Commissioner of Customs and Excise leads delegation to Belgium to attend World Customs Organization meetings with fruitful results Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Commissioner of Customs and Excise leads delegation to Belgium to attend World Customs Organization meetings with fruitful results Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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