Hong Kong Customs takes territory-wide law enforcement actions against illicit cigarette selling points
Hong Kong Customs has been mounting a decoy operation targeting cigarette retail points in various districts in Hong Kong since November 3. A total of about 128 000 suspected illicit cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $580,000 and a duty potential of about $420,000, have been seized. Ten persons have been arrested.
Customs has been closely monitoring the market situation. It has also been staying alert to recent reports indicating that some retail points are selling illicit cigarettes, as well as "cheap whites" priced below the level of statutory duty. Customs is highly concerned about the situation and promptly met with relevant parties to gather information, upon which they conducted an investigation and prepared for the operation.
During the operation, Customs officers disguised as customers and conducted test buys at different cigarette retail points, including newsstands, grocery shops and hawker stalls. Some retail points were found to offer cigarettes for sale at a price less than the statutory duty imposed thereon. As at today (November 5), Customs has taken prompt enforcement actions against seven cigarette retail points in Yau Ma Tei, Sham Shui Po, Tsuen Wan, Shau Kei Wan, Tuen Mun and Kwun Tong, and arrested the shop owners and staff. Ten persons, comprising five men and five women aged between 43 and 90, were arrested.
The operation is ongoing in different districts. If newsstands and retail shops are involved in offences related to duty-not-paid cigarettes, Customs will take prompt enforcement actions and will notify relevant departments for follow-up actions on matters related to leases and licences after the conclusion of court proceedings.
Customs reminds cigarette retailers not to sell cigarettes of unknown sources and stay alert to cigarettes supplied at a price less than the statutory duty. Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109), if a cigarette is offered for sale or supply at a consideration the value of which is less than the rate of duty imposed on the cigarette, the cigarette is dutiable goods. In addition, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying duty-not-paid 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).
Hong Kong Customs has been mounting a decoy operation targeting cigarette retail points in various districts since November 3. A total of about 128 000 suspected illicit cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $580,000 and a duty potential of about $420,000, have been seized. Ten persons have been arrested. Photo shows one of the cigarette retail points connected with the cases. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs has been mounting a decoy operation targeting cigarette retail points in various districts since November 3. A total of about 128 000 suspected illicit cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $580,000 and a duty potential of about $420,000, have been seized. Ten persons have been arrested. Photo shows one of the cigarette retail points connected with the cases. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Remarks by S for S at media session after Fight Crime Committee meeting (with video)
Following are the remarks by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, at a media session after the Fight Crime Committee meeting at the Central Government Offices, Tamar today (November 5):
Reporter: What do you make of the sentencing of Joshua Wong, and what are your thoughts towards comments made by overseas governments as well as groups towards Joshua Wong's sentencing?
Secretary for Security: Regarding the case concerning Wong Chi-fung involving the offence of "conspiracy to commit collusion with foreign countries or with external elements to endanger national security", following his earlier guilty plea, the Court of First Instance of the High Court delivered the sentence this morning. Wong was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, and the court ruled that the case fell within the category of an offence of a "grave nature" and warrants severe punishment.
Wong, together with Law Kwun-chung, who has been specified as an absconder, and their accomplices are among the primary culprits responsible for undermining Hong Kong's prosperity and stability. They began by obstructing the Government's effort to promote national education in an attempt to weaken national identity. Wong, in particular, has repeatedly broken the law, including illegal assemblies and contempt of court, demonstrating his complete disregard for the rule of law.
Since before the implementation of the HKNSL (Hong Kong National Security Law), Wong and others colluded with foreign or external forces, actively lobbied the United States to pass so-called legislation concerning Hong Kong, and openly solicited foreign sanctions.
Following the enactment of the HKNSL, they continued to conspire and collude with external forces. The reasons for sentence handed down by the court ruled that the offence in this case was of a "grave nature", and pointed out that at the material time, Hong Kong was confronted with social turmoil and the serious effects of riots, and was facing very high risks to national security and the rule of law. They had direct engagement with top or senior officials of foreign countries, and continued to promote the calls for sanctions through their own social media accounts and via prominent news media or outlets in the West, reaching both local and international audiences.
The court remarked that Wong Chi-fung and Law Kwun-chung were the masterminds of the case, and they advocated at the forefront, calling for foreign countries to impose sanctions and hostile measures. After the implementation of the HKNSL, they persisted in acts endangering national security and deliberately adapted their respective roles, yet their roles were equally crucial. They indeed contributed to the imposition of sanctions and hostile measures by foreign countries, and such sanctions and measures significantly impacted upon and endangered national security.
The Court also said that it is necessary to express the community's contempt for the defendant's scheme and acts, together with others, to collude with foreign forces, and to serve the imperative of deterrence.
I note that since the sentence of Wong, external forces have launched malicious attacks and smears regarding the present case. Those launching attacks against us are exactly the same external forces that Wong Chi-fung and Law Kwun-chung attempted to collude with, whom they beg for mercy and lean on that day. They must be strongly condemned, and Hong Kong citizens must recognise and acknowledge that clearly.
In fact, Wong pleaded guilty, and Wong was sentenced through fair and open judicial proceedings and fully demonstrated the rule of law that the courts of the HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) have consistently upheld. It is the constitutional duty of the HKSAR Government to safeguard national security, and the Government is determined and will continue to resolutely combat those actions that endanger national security.
Regarding the sentence of 10 years' imprisonment, in fact, the court has confirmed that it's a category of an offence of a "grave nature", and a sentence of 10 years has reflected the severe nature of that act. We will discuss with the Department of Justice to see if there's any need for a review of the sentence. Thank you.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)
Source: AI-found images
