Hong Kong Customs Seizes About 2.23 Million Suspected Illicit Cigarettes in a Major Smuggling Operation

Hong Kong Customs detects seaborne illicit cigarette smuggling case with seizure worth about $10 million

Hong Kong Customs today (October 27) mounted an enforcement operation to combat illicit cigarette smuggling activities by sea and detected a suspected smuggling case involving a high-powered speedboat in the southeast waters of Hong Kong. About 2.23 million suspected illicit cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $10 million and a duty potential of about $7.37 million, and a high-powered speedboat equipped with three outboard engines, were seized.

Customs officers in the small hours of today conducted an anti-smuggling operation in the southeast waters of Hong Kong. During the operation, in the waters southeast of Ninepin Group, a suspicious speedboat was spotted heading towards South Ninepin Island with its navigation light off. Customs officers immediately took action to pursue and intercept the speedboat, but the speedboat accelerated and fled.

Later, Customs boarded the speedboat and stopped the vessel for investigation. The speedboat was discovered to be equipped with three powerful outboard engines, and the batch of suspected illicit cigarettes was seized onboard the vessel. Two Mainland men, aged 32 and 39, suspected of violating the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO), were arrested.

Under the DCO, anyone involved in importing, dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit motor spirit or cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and two years' imprisonment for motor spirit, or $2 million and seven years' imprisonment for cigarettes.

Members of the public may report any illicit fuel or 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 today (October 27) mounted an enforcement operation to combat illicit cigarette smuggling activities by sea and detected a suspected smuggling case involving a high-powered speedboat in the southeast waters of Hong Kong. About 2.23 million suspected illicit cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $10 million and a duty potential of about $7.37 million, and a high-powered speedboat equipped with three outboard engines, were seized. Photo shows the high-powered speedboat equipped with three outboard engines seized. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs today (October 27) mounted an enforcement operation to combat illicit cigarette smuggling activities by sea and detected a suspected smuggling case involving a high-powered speedboat in the southeast waters of Hong Kong. About 2.23 million suspected illicit cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $10 million and a duty potential of about $7.37 million, and a high-powered speedboat equipped with three outboard engines, were seized. Photo shows the suspected duty-not-paid cigarettes seized. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs combats unfair trade practices at medicine shop

Hong Kong Customs today (October 27) arrested a salesman of a medicine shop suspected to have engaged in unfair trade practices involving a misleading omission in the course of selling Chinese herbal medicines, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).

Customs today received information alleging that a salesman of a medicine shop in Tsim Sha Tsui was suspected of engaging in unfair trade practices when selling Chinese herbal medicines. During the course of selling Chinese herbal medicines, the salesman provided the total price in an untimely manner. He revealed the total price only after the herbal medicines were ground into powder.

After an in-depth investigation, Customs officers today arrested a 30-year-old local salesman of the medicine shop concerned.

An investigation is ongoing and the arrested man was held for inquiry.

Customs has all along been concerned about visitors being misled to make purchases by unfair trade practices and has established a Quick Response Team to handle urgent complaints lodged by short-haul visitors. The complaints will be promptly referred to investigators to handle with priority.

Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO, and consumers to purchase products from reputable shops. Consumers should also be cautious about the unit price for a commodity and ask for more information, including the total price of the goods selected, before making a purchase decision.

Under the TDO, any trader who engages in a commercial practice that omits or hides material information or provides material information in a manner that is unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely, and as a result causes, or is likely to cause, an average consumer to make a transactional decision, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

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/en).

Source: AI-found images