Hong Kong Customs Arrests Hobby Shop Owner for Fraudulent Payments and Non-Delivery of Products

Hong Kong Customs arrests sole proprietor of hobby shop

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (July 7) arrested a hobby shop sole proprietor on suspicion of engaging in wrongly accepting payments in the course of selling hobby products, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).

Customs earlier received a number of reports alleging that someone sold hobby products through his/her own online shop, an online marketplace with instant-messaging software, but failed to supply the ordered goods within the specified date or a reasonable period after accepting payments from customers. Also, no refund was offered in a timely manner. As of yesterday, the reports received by Customs involved 13 customers and 276 hobby products, with the total monetary amount involved being about $238,000.

After investigations, Customs officers yesterday arrested a 31-year-old man suspected to be connected with the case. He is the sole proprietor of the hobby shop.

An investigation is ongoing. The arrested man has been released on bail pending further investigation.

Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO. Under the TDO, any trader commits an offence if at the time of acceptance of payment, the trader intends not to supply the product or intends to supply a materially different product, or there are no reasonable grounds for believing that the trader will be able to supply the product within a specified or reasonable period. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

Meanwhile, consumers should make orders through reputable traders. After purchasing the products, consumers should keep the transaction documents, such as records of communication, receipts of payment, etc, as a basis of a complaint in the future.

Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO 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, Photo source: reference image

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for possession of duty-not-paid cigarettes

An incoming local male passenger was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment with a fine of $1,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (August 19) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Customs officers intercepted the incoming 78-year-old local male passenger at the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point on July 15 and seized 1 381 duty-not-paid cigarettes from his personal belongings. The estimated market value of the seized cigarettes was about $6,200 and the duty potential was about $4,500. 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. Members of the public should not defy the law.

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 possession of duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases