Hong Kong customs seizes HK$100 million of contraband goods, including computer processors
Items confiscated included laptops, smartwatches and circuit boards found in shipment to Taichung, authorities say
Hong Kong customs officers have seized contraband products valued at HK$100 million (US$12.9 million), including computer processors worth HK$67 million, from a shipment bound for Taiwan.
The Customs and Excise Department said on Friday the seized items, which included laptops, smartwatches and circuit boards, were found in a cargo container that was to be loaded onto a Taichung-bound oceangoing vessel last week.
Inspector Woo Suet-yi, of customs’ syndicate crimes investigation bureau, said there was a high demand for computer and electronic products in mainland China, the suspected final destination of the seized goods.
“We believe criminals tried to deploy an indirect route to ship the goods to Taiwan and then use other channels to smuggle the items into the mainland,” she said.
“If the shipment had been successfully smuggled to the mainland, up to HK$10 million in tariffs could have been evaded.”
The cargo container, declared to be carrying electronic accessories, was selected for inspection on Tuesday last week before being loaded onto the vessel at a Kwai Chung shipping terminal.
