customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

knowledgeQuestion

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Fiona Sun

Hong Kong customs officers have arrested five suspected smugglers and seized about 10 million black market cigarettes worth around HK$45 million from a fishing boat.
The Customs and Excise Department revealed on Saturday that officers had intercepted a suspicious fishing boat in the waters off Hong Kong’s southernmost island, Po Toi, the previous morning and seized the cigarettes after an inspection.
The seized cigarettes, which were in compartments in the boat, had a duty potential of about HK$33 million, customs said.
Five non-local men, aged between 29 and 43, were arrested in connection with the suspected smuggling. They will be charged with one count of importing unmanifested cargo, and will appear at Eastern Court on Monday.
The department said it would continue to trace the source and the flow of the illicit cigarettes, adding that further arrests were not ruled out.
“Customs will 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,” it said.

Smuggling is a serious offence in Hong Kong. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of HK$2 million and seven years’ imprisonment.
Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes also commits an offence, which carries a maximum penalty of a fine of HK$1 million and two years’ jail.
Earlier this month, customs officers confiscated HK$150 million worth of smuggled goods, including cameras, mobile phones and cosmetic products, from two separate shipments destined for Singapore and Taiwan.
Also this month, officers seized HK$400 million worth of computer and electronic products from a seaborne shipment of citric acid destined for mainland China, the biggest haul of its kind so far this year.
Between April 1 and August 15, customs foiled 10 other attempts to smuggle goods to Malaysia involving HK$547 million worth of contraband products.
Hong Kong raised its tobacco tax for the second year in a row in February.


Hong Kong customs arrests 5 men, seizes HK$45 million worth of black market cigarettes

2 workers charged in case of Hong Kong girl, 4, whose heart stopped after getting stitches

173 Hongkongers allegedly splashed with bodily fluids in public over past 8 months

Hong Kong secondary school teacher arrested on suspicion of assaulting pupil

Crime in Hong Kong

Customs officers found the cigarettes in compartments in the fishing boat. Photo: iSD

About 10 million cigarettes were seized. Photo: ISD

News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Officers intercepted a suspicious fishing boat in the waters off Hong Kong’s southernmost island, Po Toi, on Friday morning


Officers intercepted a suspicious fishing boat in the waters off Hong Kong’s southernmost island, Po Toi, on Friday morning.


Crime