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A spokesman for the Customs and Excise Department today (December 19) reminded travellers and Hong Kong residents returning from visits to other places not to bring into Hong Kong any prohibited items, including pirated optical discs and dangerous drugs, or they could face prosecution.
Under the Copyright Ordinance, any person who is found in possession of any pirated article for commercial purposes is liable to prosecution. The maximum penalty for the offence is a fine of $50,000 per article and four years' imprisonment.
Any person convicted of "possession of a dangerous drug" under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance is liable to a maximum fine of $1 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Between December 1 and December 15, Customs officers at the Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To, Hung Hom Through Train Station, Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal and China Ferry Terminal control points detected five instances of illegal importation of pirated optical discs. They seized 3,066 pirated DVDs, valued at about $56,500, and arrested five men.
In the same period, the officers also detected six instances of trafficking in dangerous drugs, resulting in the arrest of five men and one woman.
The drugs seized included 1,015.5 grams of Ketamine, 55 grams of "Ecstasy", 0.5 gram of Midazolam, 0.3 gram of hand-rolled cannabis and 849 tablets of Estazolam, worth a total of more than $385,900.
The spokesman added that the importation into Hong Kong of cats and dogs, meat and poultry, endangered species, narcotic drugs, pharmaceutical products, arms and ammunition, fireworks, strategic commodities and textiles is governed by laws which require import licences or permits to be issued in advance by authorities concerned.
Meanwhile, the spokesman reminded members of the public to observe the 24-hour rule on cigarette duty-free concession under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance or they could face a maximum fine of $1 million and two years' imprisonment.
Under the ordinance, a returning Hong Kong resident aged 18 or above, who has spent 24 hours or longer outside the SAR, may bring in free of duty 60 cigarettes for his own use.
Members of the public may obtain more information on the list of prohibited and controlled items through the following channels:
(a) by browsing the website of the Customs and Excise Department http://info.gov.hk/customs/;
(b) by visiting the Customs Information Kiosks at the Kowloon KCR Station and China Ferry Terminal; and
(c) by referring to the posters and pamphlets available at various control points.
The spokesman stressed that Customs officers would continue to conduct vigorous checks at various control points to curb the smuggling of prohibited goods.
He appealed to members of the public or travellers to be patient when going through Customs checks at the control points as the officers had to check for illegal importation and exportation of prohibited goods.
Ends/Friday, December 19, 2003
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