Hong Kong Customs detects smuggling case involving about $24 million of goods by river trade vessel (with photos)

Hong Kong Customs on March 7 detected a suspected smuggling case involving a river trade vessel. A large batch of suspected smuggled goods with a total estimated market value of about $24 million was seized.

Through intelligence analysis and risk assessment, Customs suspected that criminals were using river trade vessels to smuggle goods to the Mainland and thus formulated strategies to combat these activities. On March 7, a river trade vessel departing from Hong Kong and bound for Nansha of Guangzhou was selected for inspection. Upon examination, Customs officers onboard the vessel found large batches of suspected smuggled goods, including over 25 000 skincare products, about 3 500 bottles of fragrance oil, about 50 000 electronic parts, about 2 500 mobile phones, about 50 kilograms of birds' nests and about 650kg of suspected scheduled red sandalwood.

An investigation is ongoing.

Being a government department primarily responsible for tackling smuggling activities, Customs has all along been combating various smuggling activities proactively 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, along with mounting targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to land a solid blow against relevant 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 Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person importing, exporting or possessing specimens of endangered species not in accordance with the Ordinance commits an offence and will be liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years upon conviction with the specimens forfeited.

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/).