Hong Kong Customs Seizes About 2.37 Million Suspected Illicit Cigarettes, Arrests Mainland Man in Kwun Tong Operation

Hong Kong Customs raids two suspected illicit cigarette storage centres in Kwun Tong

Hong Kong Customs shut down two suspected illicit cigarette storage centres in Kwun Tong today (September 9). A total of about 2.37 million suspected illicit cigarettes were seized. The total estimated market value was about $10.67 million, while the duty potential was about $7.84 million. A Mainland male involved in the case was arrested.

Customs officers today searched two suspicious units in an industrial building in Kwun Tong and found the batch of suspected illicit cigarettes. A 29-year-old Mainland male was arrested at the scene.

The case is still under investigation. The arrested man was remanded pending further investigation. Customs will continue to trace the source of the illicit cigarettes. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.

Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source, as well as through its multipronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to spare no effort in combating illicit cigarette activities.

Customs stresses that it is an offence to buy or sell illicit cigarettes. Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, 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 are urged to 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 shut down two suspected illicit cigarette storage centres in Kwun Tong today (September 9). A total of about 2.37 million suspected illicit cigarettes were seized. The total estimated market value was about $10.67 million, while the duty potential was about $7.84 million. A Mainland male involved in the case was arrested. Photo shows illicit cigarettes seized from one of the industrial units. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs successfully prosecutes local forwarder for exporting Chinese herbal medicine and proprietary Chinese medicine not under and in accordance with export licence

A local forwarder was convicted and fined $20,000 by the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (September 10) for exporting prohibited articles of Chinese herbal medicine and proprietary Chinese medicine not under and in accordance with an export licence, in contravention of the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).

During an investigation into a contraband export case, Customs officers found a local forwarder that had exported a shipment of Chinese herbal medicine Radix Clematidis and proprietary Chinese medicine containing "Ejiao" to Canada without a valid export licence. The total estimated market value of the cargo was about $67,000.

Customs welcomed the courts' ruling and believed that they have provided clear and explicit warnings to the public.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the IEO, any person who exports Chinese herbal medicine and proprietary Chinese medicine without a valid licence commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for two years.

Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling 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).

Source: AI-found images