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A team of observant Customs officers yesterday (October 6) foiled a smuggling attempt at Lok Ma Chau Control Point and seized $620,000 worth of computer central processing units and hard disks.

At about 11.45pm, the officers intercepted an outgoing lorry declared to be empty. After conducting a thorough examination, the officers found 237 central processing units and 648 hard disks, worth a total of $620,000, inside a false compartment on the underside of the vehicle.

A 49-year-old driver was arrested.

Under the Import and Export Ordinance, the maximum penalty for importing unmanifested cargo is a fine of $2 million and seven years' imprisonment. Besides, the maximum penalty for altering a vehicle for the purpose of smuggling is a fine of $2 million and seven years' imprisonment. The vehicle involved is liable to forfeiture.

A spokesman for the Customs and Excise Department stressed that the department would continue to be vigilant and conduct rigorous enforcement actions against cross-boundary smuggling activities.

End/Tuesday, October 7, 2003

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