Hong Kong Customs today (March 26) conducted an anti-illicit cigarette operation in Kwun Tong and raided a suspected illicit cigarette storage centre in which about 1 million suspected illicit cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $4.7 million and a duty potential of about $3.5 million, were seized. 

     Customs this early morning intercepted a suspicious man who was moving goods in Hing Yip Street, Kwun Tong, and seized about 20 000 suspected illicit cigarettes from his trolley. The 28-year-old man, who claimed to be unemployed, was subsequently arrested and escorted to a unit in an industrial building nearby for a further search. Upon inspection, Customs officers seized about 1 million suspected illicit cigarettes from the unit, thereby shutting down the suspected illicit cigarette storage centre.  

     Customs believes the operation has dismantled a storage and distribution centre which was used to supply illicit cigarettes to the East Kowloon district.

     Customs will continue to trace the source and the flow of the illicit cigarettes. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.

     The arrested man was charged with “dealing with goods to which the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance applies” and will appear at the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts on April 26.

     Customs will also continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multipronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to spare no effort in combating illicit cigarette activities.

     Customs stresses that it is an offence to buy or sell illicit cigarettes. 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) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

     Hong Kong Customs today (March 13) conducted anti-illicit cigarette operations in Sham Shui Po and Kwun Tong respectively, and shut down two suspected illicit cigarette storage centres. A total of about 210 000 suspected illicit cigarettes, with a total estimated market value of about $1 million and a duty potential of about $700,000, were seized.

     In the first case, Customs officers seized about 40 000 suspected illicit cigarettes from a unit of a subdivided flat in Tai Nan Street, Sham Shui Po, this morning. A 89-year-old man who claimed to be unemployed and is suspected to be connected with the case was arrested.

     In the second case, Customs officers in the same morning further seized about 170 000 suspected illicit cigarettes from a residential unit of a tenement building in Shung Yan Street, Kwun Tong. A 58-year-old woman who claimed to be unemployed and is suspected to be connected with the case was arrested.

     The two arrested persons have been charged with “dealing with goods to which the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance applies”. The 89-year-old man and the 58-year-old woman will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on March 27 and the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts on April 18 respectively.

     Customs reminds members of the public that it is an offence to buy or sell illicit cigarettes. 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) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (September 6) raided a large-scale suspected illicit cigarette storage centre in Tsuen Wan and seized about 16 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $60 million and a duty potential of about $41 million.

     Customs earlier identified an illicit cigarette syndicate active in Tsuen Wan District. The syndicate often uses industrial building units to store considerable amounts of illicit cigarettes and distributes them during late-night periods to evade Customs’ inspections. Upon investigation, Customs officers subsequently conducted an enforcement action during the early hours yesterday and raided an industrial building unit on Wang Lung Street, Tsuen Wan. The batch of suspected illicit cigarettes were seized therein and two men, aged 39 and 54, who were suspected to be connected with the case, were arrested. 
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     The two arrested persons were charged with “dealing with goods to which the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance applies” and will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (September 8). Customs will continue to trace the source and flow of the illicit cigarettes. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.

     Customs will also 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.

     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) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).

     ​Hong Kong Customs today (March 3) raided a suspected illicit cigarette storage in Yuen Long and seized about 2.8 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $10.3 million and a duty potential of about $7 million.

     During an anti-illicit cigarette operation conducted in Yuen Long this afternoon, Customs officers seized the batch of suspected illicit cigarettes inside an industrial building unit on Leung Yip Street and a lorry parked on the ground floor of the building. A 34-year-old man suspected to be connected with the case was arrested and the lorry suspected to be involved was detained.

     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 also 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.

     Customs stresses that it is an offence to buy or sell illicit cigarettes. 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).