Hong Kong Customs Seizes $120 Million in Illicit Cigarettes in Major Smuggling Busts

Hong Kong Customs detects two illicit cigarette smuggling cases with tobacco product seizures worth about $120 million

Hong Kong Customs conducted anti-illicit cigarette operations in Tin Shui Wai, Kwai Chung and Yuen Long over the past week and detected two large-scale illicit cigarette smuggling cases. A total of about 15 million suspected illicit cigarettes and about 7,800 kilograms of suspected duty-not-paid manufactured tobacco with an estimated total market value of about $120 million and a duty potential of about $81 million were seized.

In the first case, after an in-depth investigation, Customs on November 30 raided a logistics warehouse in Tin Shui Wai and seized about 5 million suspected illicit cigarettes from a batch of goods arriving from Malaysia en route to Australia via Hong Kong.

In the second case, based on intelligence analysis, Customs yesterday (December 2) intercepted a 40-foot container arriving from Thailand, declared as carrying groceries, at the Kwai Chung Container Terminal. Upon inspection, Customs officers seized about 10 million suspected illicit cigarettes inside the container and arrested a 63-year-old male truck driver, who was suspected to be connected with the case. During the subsequent controlled delivery operation on the same day, Customs officers further seized about 7,800kg of suspected duty-not-paid manufactured tobacco at San Tin, Yuen Long, cracked down on a large manufactured tobacco storage centre and arrested four men aged between 32 and 40 who were suspected to be connected with the case, including the person in charge of the warehouse and three porters.

Investigations of the two cases are ongoing.

Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis, and step up enforcement actions to combat cross-boundary 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 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).

Hong Kong Customs detects two illicit cigarette smuggling cases with tobacco product seizures worth about $120 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government reminds Hong Kong residents to attend to personal safety when travelling to Korea

In view of the emergency martial law declared in Korea, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (December 4) reminds Hong Kong residents who are already there or intend to visit Korea to attend to personal safety. The Immigration Department (ImmD) has contacted the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (OCMFA), the Chinese Embassy in the Republic of Korea (Embassy), the Travel Industry Authority (TIA) and the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (TIC) to understand the situation. The ImmD has not received any request for assistance from Hong Kong residents so far.

A Government spokesman said, "Residents who intend to visit Korea or are already there should monitor the situation, exercise caution, attend to personal safety, avoid large gatherings of people and pay attention to local announcements on the latest situation."

The Security Bureau (SB), in view of the emergency martial law declared, has already updated the Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) webpage for Korea and will continue to closely monitor the situation there. Any update will be issued through the media, the SB mobile app and the OTA webpage (www.sb.gov.hk/eng/ota).

The ImmD will continue to maintain close contact with the OCMFA, the Embassy, the TIA and the TIC to monitor the development.

Hong Kong residents in Korea who need assistance may call the 24-hour hotline of the Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit of the ImmD at (852) 1868, call the 1868 hotline using network data or use the 1868 Chatbot via the ImmD mobile application, send a message to 1868 WhatsApp assistance hotline or 1868 WeChat assistance hotline, submit the Online Assistance Request Form, contact the Chinese Embassy in the Republic of Korea at consular protection hotline: (82) 27550572, contact the Chinese Consulate-General in Busan at consular protection hotline: (82) 1085198748, contact the Chinese Consulate-General in Gwangju at consular protection hotline: (82) 623618880 or contact the Chinese Consulate-General in Jeju at consular protection hotline: (82) 647228802.

Hong Kong residents are encouraged to use the online Registration of Outbound Travel Information service (www.gov.hk/roti) of the ImmD to register their contact details and itinerary when outside Hong Kong. The information provided allows the ImmD to disseminate practical information to them through appropriate means, including SMS on mobile phones, on a timely basis when necessary.