Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected illicit cigarettes worth about $28 million (with photo)

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (March 17) seized about 10.2 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $28 million and a duty potential of about $19.4 million at the Tsing Yi Customs Cargo Examination Compound.

     Through risk assessment, Customs officers yesterday selected for inspection a 40-foot transshipment container, declared to be carrying plastic bins, arriving from Vietnam and heading for the Philippines via Hong Kong. Upon inspection, Customs officers found the batch of suspected illicit cigarettes inside the container.

     An investigation is ongoing.

     Customs will continue its intelligence analysis and risk assessment for interception at source to combat 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.

     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).