Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products
An incoming female passenger was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $2,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (September 30) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes, failing to declare them to Customs officers, as well as importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) and the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).
Customs officers intercepted a 50-year-old incoming Mainland female passenger arriving in Hong Kong from Tokyo, Japan, at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (September 29) and seized about 2 400 duty-not-paid cigarettes and 32 000 alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $107,000 and a duty potential of about $8,000, from her personal baggage. 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.
Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys duty-not-paid tobacco 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).
An incoming female passenger was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $2,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (September 30) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes, failing to declare them to Customs officers, as well as importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance and the Import and Export Ordinance. Photo shows the duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products seized. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
First award ceremony for Packaging Reduction Charter held
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (September 30) held the first award ceremony for the Packaging Reduction Charter to commend businesses for their outstanding contributions to reducing packaging waste in 2025-26. A total of 75 signatory companies to the Charter were being honoured. Participating companies reduced approximately 13 000 tonnes of packaging materials in total, which is equivalent to the weight of about 900 double-decker buses.
Speaking at the award ceremony, the Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong, said that this year marks the opening year of the National 15th Five-Year Plan. The plan clearly sets out to accelerate the comprehensive green transition of economic and social development, leveraging carbon peaking and carbon neutrality as drivers to enhance the momentum for green development. To proactively align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) also mentions that the EPD will deepen the reform of the municipal solid waste management system, striving to move away from reliance on landfill disposal for municipal solid waste directly by 2035, with a view to achieving "Zero Landfill".
She stated that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has long adopted a practical and feasible approach, actively collaborating with the trades to explore and promote packaging waste reduction in Hong Kong. She commended the awardees for their persistent efforts and contributions, emphasising that the commercial and industrial sectors' active efforts in waste reduction at source are crucial for Hong Kong's progress towards "Zero Landfill" and carbon neutrality. She thanked various sectors for their efforts in environmental protection, and appealed for more companies to join in the future to jointly promote a green business culture.
The five assessment criteria for the Charter are "Packaging Reduction", "Packaging Recyclability", "Packaging Reuse/Recycling", "Sustainable Packaging", and "Promotion of Packaging Reduction". Awardees were presented with Platinum, Gold, and Merit awards respectively. The list of awardees is available on the thematic website of the Charter (www.lesspackaging.hk).
The EPD launched the Charter in March last year to encourage businesses to reassess and reduce their packaging usage, foster a waste reduction culture in commercial activities, and support Hong Kong's long-term goals of "Zero Landfill" and carbon neutrality. So far, a total of 148 local and multinational companies have signed the Charter, covering about 3 000 service and retail outlets across the territory in various retail and catering categories. This reflects that the Charter has been well received by the trades and has delivered remarkable results.
To assist businesses in packaging reduction and management, the EPD has published the Practical Guides on Packaging Reduction and Management (Practical Guides) for eight specific sectors (Note) on its website for the trades' reference. In addition, to address the substantial increase in parcels, cartons, and filling materials arising from the rapid development of online shopping, the EPD has, starting from 2026, collaborated with major logistics companies to progressively implement the Self-pickup Store On-site Recycling Project. This facilitates the on-site return of packaging materials by members of the public for reuse and recycling immediately after collecting their parcels at the self-pickup stores. For the latest information on the Charter, please refer to the thematic website.
Note: The eight specific sectors are supermarkets and grocery stores, logistics, e-commerce, hotel and hospitality, electronics and electrical appliances, beverage manufacturing, food manufacturing, and importers.
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (September 30) held the first award ceremony for the Packaging Reduction Charter to commend businesses for their outstanding contributions to reducing packaging waste in 2025-26. Photo shows the Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong (seventh right); the Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui (sixth right); the Deputy Director of Environmental Protection (Waste Reduction), Mr Kenneth Cheng (fifth right); the Assistant Director of Environmental Protection (Waste Management), Mr Steve Wong (fourth right); and other attending guests and representatives of awardees pictured at the award ceremony. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Environmental Protection Department today (September 30) held the first award ceremony for the Packaging Reduction Charter to commend businesses for their outstanding contributions to reducing packaging waste in 2025-26. Photo shows the Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong (centre); the Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui (fourth left); the Deputy Director of Environmental Protection (Waste Reduction), Mr Kenneth Cheng (fourth right); and representatives from the supporting organisations of the Charter pictured at the launching ceremony of the award ceremony. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Environmental Protection Department today (September 30) held the first award ceremony for the Packaging Reduction Charter to commend businesses for their outstanding contributions to reducing packaging waste in 2025-26. Photo shows the Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong, giving a speech at the award ceremony. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
