Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for possession of duty-not-paid cigarettes
An incoming female passenger was sentenced to four months' imprisonment with a fine of $2,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (September 17) 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 56-year-old local woman at the Lo Wu Control Point on May 3 and seized 5 361 duty-not-paid cigarettes from her personal baggage, with an estimated market value of about $21,000 and a duty potential of about $17,000. The female 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
Four incoming air passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes
Four incoming air passengers were sentenced to eight to nine months' imprisonment, each with a fine of $2,000, by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts yesterday (September 16) and today (September 17) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) (Cap. 109).
Hong Kong Customs has been mounting a special enforcement operation to combat illicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers in recent days. Three Mainland male passengers aged 40, 22 and 36, arriving in Hong Kong from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and a Mainland male passenger aged 51, arriving in Hong Kong from Haikou, were arrested at Hong Kong International Airport. A total of about 260 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $1.17 million and a duty potential of about $860,000, were seized from their personal baggage.
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 and travellers that under the DCO, anyone involved in importing, dealing with, possession of, selling or buying 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, its dedicated crime-reporting email account(crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Four incoming air passengers were sentenced to eight to nine months imprisonment, each with a fine of $2,000, by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts yesterday (September 16) and today (September 17) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109). Photo shows duty-not-paid cigarettes seized from the personal baggage of one of the incoming passengers. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
