Hong Kong Customs seizes smuggled goods worth about $35 million (with photo)

     Hong Kong Customs detected two suspected smuggling cases involving ocean-going vessels on January 5. A large batch of suspected smuggled goods with a total estimated market value of about $35 million was seized.
      
     Through intelligence analysis and risk assessment, Customs discovered that criminals intended to use ocean-going vessels to smuggle goods. Enforcement operations were thus formulated, with two suspicious containers scheduled to depart from Hong Kong to the Mainland, via ocean-going vessels selected for inspection.

     Customs inspected the two abovementioned containers that were declared as carrying aluminium ingots on January 5. Upon examinations, Customs officers found large batches of suspected smuggled goods, including hard disks, display cards, RAM units and other electronic products in the containers.

     An investigation is ongoing. The likelihood of arrests is not ruled out.
      
     Being a government department primarily responsible for tackling smuggling activities, Customs has long been combating various smuggling activities on all fronts. Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to resolutely combat sea smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to disrupt relevant 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 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).