Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected illicit cigarettes worth about $77 million (with photos)
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Hong Kong Customs yesterday (May 21) and today (May 22) raided three suspected illicit cigarette storehouses in Chai Wan and Ap Lei Chau. A total of about 28 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $77 million and a duty potential of about $53 million were seized, making it the largest illicit cigarette storage case detected by Customs in the past 21 years.
During an anti-illicit cigarette operation mounted in Chai Wan last night, Customs officers seized about eight million suspected illicit cigarettes inside an industrial building unit and a lorry. Three men, aged between 28 and 53, suspected to be in connection with the case were arrested.
After follow-up investigation, Customs officers further seized about 20 million suspected illicit cigarettes from another two industrial building units in Chai Wan and Ap Lei Chau in the early hours today.
An investigation is ongoing. Customs will continue to trace the source and the flow of the illicit cigarettes. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
The three arrested men were charged with “dealing with goods to which the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance applies” and will appear at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (May 23).
Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multi-pronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to spare no effort in combating illicit cigarette activities.
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.
Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
May 18, 2022 | International
Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected illicit cigarettes worth about $6.2 million (with photos)
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Hong Kong Customs yesterday (May 16) seized a total of about 2.25 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $6.2 million and a duty potential of about $4.3 million in Ping Che and Tsuen Wan.
In the first case, Customs officers conducted an anti-illicit cigarette operation in Ping Che yesterday afternoon and raided a suspected illicit cigarette storage on Ping Che Road. During the operation, Customs officers seized about 2.21 million suspected illicit cigarettes inside a metal hut and a light goods vehicle. A 39-year-old man suspected to be in connection with the case was arrested and the light goods vehicle involved has also been detained.
In the second case, Customs officers intercepted a private car in Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan, yesterday afternoon and seized about 40 000 suspected illicit cigarettes inside the car. During the interception, the driver attempted to resist and tried to escape by driving the vehicle to bump into a Customs vehicle. Customs officers at last successfully arrested a 34-year-old male driver and a 21-year-old man suspected to be in connection with the case. The private car involved has also been detained. Two Customs officers sustained minor injuries in the arrest action. They were fine after proper treatment and did not need to stay in hospital.
Investigations of the two above-mentioned cases are ongoing. Customs will continue to trace the source and the flow of the illicit cigarettes. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
Customs will also continue to combat illicit cigarette activities on all fronts through intelligence analysis.
Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
May 14, 2022 | International
Hong Kong Customs raids suspected illicit cigarette storage (with photo)
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Hong Kong Customs today (May 14) raided a suspected illicit cigarette storage in Sheung Shui and seized about 2.4 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $6.6 million and a duty potential of about $4.6 million.
During an anti-illicit cigarette operation conducted in Ying Pun Ha Tsuen, Sheung Shui, in the early hours today, Customs officers seized the batch of suspected illicit cigarettes inside a metal shed. A 27-year-old man, who claimed to be unemployed, suspected to be in connection with the case was arrested. Customs officers later further arrested a 36-year-old man, who claimed to be a food store owner, suspected to be in connection with the case during a follow-up investigation.
An investigation is ongoing. Customs will continue to trace the source and flow of the illicit cigarettes. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
Customs will continue to combat illicit cigarette activities on all fronts through intelligence analysis.
Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Apr 29, 2022 | International
Hong Kong Customs conducts large-scale operation to combat illicit heat-not-burn products, nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes and electronic cigarette oil (with photos)
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Hong Kong Customs has mounted a special operation in the past month to combat illicit heat-not-burn (HNB) products as well as nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes and electronic cigarette oil. A total of 51 cases were detected across the territory and about 2.63 million suspected illicit HNB products, about 190 000 suspected nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes and about 5 000 millilitres of suspected nicotine-containing electronic cigarette oil were seized with an estimated market value of about $15 million and a duty potential of about $5 million.
During the operation, Customs officers detected 42 cases on the smuggling front, including parcel, air cargo and land cargo channels, at Hong Kong International Airport, Shenzhen Bay Control Point and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Control Point. Seizures of about 1.95 million suspected illicit HNB products, about 190 000 suspected nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes and about 5 000ml of suspected nicotine-containing electronic cigarette oil were made.
The other nine cases are storage, distribution and peddling cases. Customs officers seized about 680 000 suspected illicit HNB products in Tuen Mun, Sheung Shui, Kwun Tong, Lam Tin, To Kwa Wan, Cheung Sha Wan and Causeway Bay. Two suspected illicit HNB product storage units were raided and three vehicles suspected to be used for illicit HNB product distribution were detained.
During the operation, nine men and two women, aged between 28 and 52, were arrested. Investigations of all the cases are ongoing and the likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
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.
According to the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, nicotine-containing electronic cigarette products are classified as pharmaceutical products requiring registration with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be sold in Hong Kong. In addition, nicotine is a Part 1 poison which can only be sold at pharmacies under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. Illegal sale and possession of Part 1 poisons and unregistered pharmaceutical products are criminal offences. The maximum penalty for each offence is a fine of $100,000 and two years’ imprisonment.
Customs reminds members of the public and retailers that the Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 will come into effect tomorrow (April 30). According to the new legislation, any person who imports, promotes, manufactures, sells or possesses for commercial purposes alternative smoking products, including electronic smoking products, heated tobacco products, herbal cigarettes and any related devices, parts and accessories, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.
Customs will continue to take stringent enforcement action against all kinds of illicit cigarette activities.
Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk). They may call the Department of Health at 2961 8823 for further enquiries and complaints relating to alternative smoking products.
