Hong Kong Customs detects suspected smuggling case worth about $10 million (with photos)
****************************************************************************************
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 4) detected a suspected smuggling case using a van and a speedboat in Tung Chung. A batch of suspected smuggled goods, including cigars, high-value food and electronic products, with an estimated market value of about $10 million in total was seized.
Customs officers conducted an anti-smuggling operation in North Lantau waters during small hours yesterday. Some suspicious men were spotted moving cartons of goods from a van to a speedboat at a seashore in Tung Chung. Officers then took action and the men immediately jumped onto the speedboat and fled.
During the operation, a 25-year-old man was arrested and a van suspected to be involved in the case was detained. A batch of suspected smuggled goods, including cigars, high-valued wine, bird nest, solid-state drives, smartphones and tablets, was seized onboard the van.
An investigation is ongoing.
Customs stresses that it would keep up its enforcement action and would continue to fiercely combat sea smuggling activities by proactive risk-management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies. Targeted anti-smuggling operations will also be mounted from time to time to land a solid blow against the 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 smuggling activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).