Hong Kong Customs detects two smuggling cases involving river trade vessels with goods worth about $33 million seized
Hong Kong Customs detected two suspected smuggling cases involving river trade vessels on October 9 and 13 respectively. Large batches of suspected smuggled goods with a total estimated market value of about $33 million were seized.
Through intelligence analysis and risk assessment, two river trade vessels departing from Hong Kong for Macao were selected for inspection on the abovementioned dates. Upon examination, Customs officers aboard the vessels found large batches of suspected smuggled goods, including about 740 000 suspected pharmaceutical products.
Investigations are ongoing. The likelihood of arrests is not ruled out.
Being a government department primarily responsible for tackling smuggling activities, Customs has long been combating various smuggling activities on all fronts. Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to resolutely combat sea smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to crack down on relevant crimes.
Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction. Any person who exports pharmaceutical products and medicines without a valid export 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).
Hong Kong Customs detected two suspected smuggling cases involving river trade vessels on October 9 and 13 respectively. Large batches of suspected smuggled goods with a total estimated market value of about $33 million were seized. Photo shows some of the suspected smuggled pharmaceutical products seized. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
CE meets Minister of Ecology and Environment
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with the Minister of Ecology and Environment, Mr Huang Runqiu, at Government House today (October 26) to exchange views on deepening green co-operation. The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, also attended.
Mr Lee welcomed Mr Huang and his delegation to Hong Kong to officiate at the Belt and Road Green Innovation Conference 2026. He thanked the country for its support for Hong Kong as a platform for international exchanges, and for choosing Hong Kong as the venue for the Conference, which is being held outside the Mainland for the first time. Under the "one country, two systems" principle, Hong Kong enjoys the unique advantage of connecting the Mainland and the world, and plays the roles of "super connector" and "super value-adder", proactively building itself into an international green co-operation hub. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will, through the Belt and Road (B&R) Green Development Co-operation Platform established with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the B&R sustainable green development training centre established by the Environmental Protection Department, build a pool of talent in international environmental protection and facilitate technology exchanges and co-operation along the B&R to promote the green and high-quality development of the B&R Initiative.
Mr Lee said that the HKSAR Government attaches great importance to green and sustainable development, and four binding indicators are set out in Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan relating to environmental protection. Through developing zero-carbon energy and hydrogen energy, and enhancing waste reduction and recycling, Hong Kong is building itself into a green and liveable city and moving towards carbon neutrality. Hong Kong will continue to promote green transformation and green innovation, leverage its status as a centre for green and sustainable finance, and actively explore cross-boundary carbon trading, to support the country in building a carbon market of greater international influence.
Mr Lee said that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is a key engine for the high-quality development of the country. Hong Kong is actively enhancing its role in the GBA's green value chain to promote green development in the GBA. Hong Kong has successfully facilitated the establishment of a world-leading sustainable aviation fuel production base in Dongguan, and will further strengthen collaboration in resources circulation to jointly build a Zero Waste Bay Area, achieving complementary advantages for mutual benefits and win-win results between Hong Kong and the Mainland. He thanked the Ministry of Ecology and Environment for its continued support for Hong Kong's environmental protection work, and expressed the hope that both sides will continue to work together to strengthen collaboration, better integrate into and serve the overall national development, and make greater contributions to the country's ecological civilisation.
CE meets Minister of Ecology and Environment Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
