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After the formation of a new force last month (October), Hong Kong Customs has already cracked three cases of smuggling goods onto the Mainland by sea.
The Anti-Smuggling Strategic Action Force pools together resources from the Intelligence Bureau, Special Task Force, and Marine Enforcement Group. It aims to strengthen Customs' enforcement actions against smuggling activities, particularly syndicated activities, with a more strategic approach and mounting more effective intelligence-led operations on land and at sea.
This morning (November 23), Customs officers seized $14 million worth of goods including electronic products, and arrested nine men at Siu Lam.
On November 21, they netted $10 million worth of optical disks and arrested six men at Lau Fau Shan.
On October 24 at Tuen Mun, Customs officers arrested seven men suspected of being involved in the smuggling of $12 million worth of electronic products.
Hosting a press conference today were Head of Intelligence Bureau, Mr David Fong; Group Head of Special Task Force, Mr Lin Shun-yin; and Group Head (Marine Enforcement), Mr Albert Chan.
Hong Kong Customs is committed to cracking down on smuggling activities. The maximum penalty for smuggling is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Ends/Friday, November 23, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:27
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