Author Archives: hksar gov

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (August 20) raided three suspected illicit tobacco products centres in the New Territories. A total of about 410 000 suspected illicit cigarettes and about 2 200 kilograms of suspected duty-not-paid manufactured tobacco, with an estimated market value of about $17 million and a duty potential of about $10 million, were seized.

     Customs officers mounted an anti-illicit cigarette operation in the vicinity of Yuen Long at noon yesterday and intercepted two suspicious men outside a metal hut on Kam Sheung Road. About 700kg of suspected duty-not-paid manufactured tobacco was seized inside the metal hut, and the two men were arrested subsequently.

     Customs officers later proceeded to another metal hut in Fung Kat Heung, Yuen Long, immediately for a follow-up investigation, and seized about 410 000 suspected illicit cigarettes therein. On the same afternoon, Customs searched a warehouse of a logistics company on Sha Tau Kok Road in Fanling and further uncovered about 1 500kg of suspected duty-not-paid manufactured tobacco. 

     The two arrested men, aged 31 and 42, were charged with “dealing with goods to which the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance applies” and will appear at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (August 22).

     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.

     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 on August 14 detected a suspected case of using an ocean-going vessel to smuggle goods to Malaysia at the Kwai Chung Container Terminals. A large batch of suspected smuggled electronic components and computer products, with a total estimated market value of about $50 million, was seized.

     Through intelligence analysis and risk assessment, Customs discovered that criminals intended to use ocean-going vessels to smuggle goods and thus formulated strategies to combat related activities, and identified an ocean-going vessel preparing to depart from Hong Kong for Malaysia for inspection.

     Customs officers on August 14 mounted an operation and seized a large batch of suspected smuggled goods, including electronic components, computer servers and computer RAM units, inside two containers, which were declared as containing “copper material, wire, cartridge and printed circuit board” and “metal scrap and wire” respectively, aboard the vessel.

     An investigation is ongoing. The likelihood of arrests is not ruled out.

     Customs is the primary agency responsible for the suppression of smuggling activities and has long been combating various smuggling activities at the forefront. Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to fiercely combat sea smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to crack down on related crimes.

     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 upon conviction.

     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling 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/).

      

     The Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, and Vice Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government Mr Tao Yongxin, leading delegations of the governments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Shenzhen respectively, held the fifth meeting of the Task Force for Collaboration on the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy in Shenzhen today (August 21).

     At today’s meeting, both sides reported on the progress of the work of the Working Group for Sha Tau Kok Co-operation Zone and the Working Group for Qianhai – Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area, as well as the latest work on cross-boundary rail transport and boundary control points. The HKSAR Government also introduced key tasks for the Northern Metropolis in the second half of the year, including the progress of land presumptions and engineering works for the Kwu Tung North/Fanling North New Development Area and the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area; the planning of the San Tin Technopole and a number of new development areas in Lau Fau Shan, Ngau Tam Mei, Ma Tso Lung and the New Territories North New Town; the tendering of sites for multi-storey buildings for modern industries; invitations for expression of interest for developments at the innovation and technology sites in Sandy Ridge and its follow-up work; and the exploration of the “development of local districts” approach.

     After the meeting, the delegation of the government of Shenzhen accompanied the delegation of the HKSAR Government on visits to Shatoujiao in Shenzhen, BYD Company Limited, and Longgang Energy Ecological Park.

     Mr Wong said, “We believe that expediting developments in the Northern Metropolis will help capitalise on and strengthen synergies with Shenzhen and other cities in the Greater Bay Area, promoting further economic and social integration between the two places, and allow Hong Kong to fully integrate into the overall development of the country.”

     Officials of the HKSAR Government attending the meeting today also included the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn; the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung; the Under Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk; the Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong; and the Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, as well as the heads of relevant departments.

            

     A Pakistani illegal worker, holding a recognisance form, was jailed by the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts yesterday (August 20).

     During a joint operation conducted by the Immigration Department (ImmD) and the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed “Powerplayer” on July 16, a male Pakistani illegal worker, aged 52, was arrested in Mong Kok. When intercepted, he was setting up a stall. Upon identity checking, he produced a recognisance form issued by the ImmD for inspection, which prohibits him from taking employment. Further investigation revealed that he was a non-refoulement claimant.
 
     The illegal worker was charged at the Shatin Magistrates’ Courts yesterday with taking employment while being a person in respect of whom a removal order or deportation order was in force. He pleaded guilty to the charge. As he had similar conviction records, he was sentenced to 23 months’ imprisonment.

     The ImmD spokesman warned that, as stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years’ imprisonment.

     The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years’ imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years’ imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.

     According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee’s identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker’s valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law and employ illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.

     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation, with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threats and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter, temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately. read more

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (August 20) detected a case which involved a local watch company that conducted transactions of precious products with each transaction value exceeding HK$120,000 without a registration under the Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Regulatory Regime. The sole director of the company was arrested.
      
     The investigation is ongoing. The arrested person has been released on bail pending further investigation.
      
     According to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (Cap. 615), the Regime came into effect on April 1, 2023. Any person who is seeking to carry on a business of dealing in precious metals and stones in Hong Kong and engage in any transaction(s) (whether making or receiving a payment) with a total value at or above HK$120,000 in Hong Kong is required to register with the Commissioner of Customs and Excise. Any dealer, other than a registrant, who claims to be a registrant, claims to be authorised to carry out, or carries out any cash or non-cash transaction(s) with total a value at or above HK$120,000, is liable to a maximum fine of HK$100,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.
      
     Hong Kong Customs reminds all dealers that the transitional period for registration under the Regime has ended. Any dealers in precious metals and stones must successfully obtain the relevant registration before they can carry out any cash or non-cash transaction(s) with a total value at or above $120,000.
      
     For the forms, procedures and guidelines to submit applications for registration, please visit the website for Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Registration System (www.drs.customs.gov.hk) or Hong Kong Customs’ webpage (www.customs.gov.hk/en/service-enforcement-information/anti-money-laundering/supervision-of-dealers-in-precious-metals-and-ston/index.html).
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected transactions involving precious metals and stones with a total value at or above HK$120,000 conducted without the required registration 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). read more