Hong Kong Customs yesterday (September 13) mounted an anti-smuggling operation in the eastern waters of Hong Kong and detected a suspected smuggling case involving speedboats. A batch of suspected smuggled goods with an estimated market value of about $800,000 was seized.

     Customs conducted an anti-smuggling operation and spotted two suspicious speedboats sailing towards the eastern water boundary in the waters off Tung Lung Chau with their navigation lights off last night. Customs officers immediately took action and intercepted one of the speedboats. Two men onboard the speedboat jumped into the water to escape from arrest, while the other speedboat left Hong Kong waters at high speed.

     Customs officers seized over 30 carton boxes of smuggled goods, including live turtles, mobile phones, pharmaceutical products and other electronic goods onboard the intercepted speedboat. In the meantime, Customs immediately joined the Marine Department, Fire Services Department and Marine Police to search for the two men who jumped into the sea at the scene.

     Customs stresses that it will keep up its enforcement actions and will continue to fiercely combat sea smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, along with mounting targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to land a solid blow against relevant 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).

Ends/Wednesday, September 14, 2022
Issued at HKT 17:35

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