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Four incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products (with photos)
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     Two men and two women were each sentenced to four to six months' imprisonment and fined $500 at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts yesterday (April 28) and today (April 29) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare to Customs officers, as well as for importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) and the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).
      
     Customs officers intercepted two incoming male passengers and two incoming female passengers, aged between 28 and 37, at Hong Kong International Airport on February 28 and March 3. About 138 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes and about 7 400 alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $588,000 and a duty potential of about $456,000 in total, were seized from their personal baggage. They were subsequently arrested.
      
     Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.
      
     Under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
      
     Under the IEO, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
 
Ends/Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Issued at HKT 17:23
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Two incoming male passengers, aged 28 and 37, were sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $500 at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts yesterday (April 28) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance. Photo shows the duty-not-paid cigarettes seized.
Two incoming male passengers, aged 28 and 37, were sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $500 at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts yesterday (April 28) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance. Photo shows the duty-not-paid cigarettes seized.
Two incoming female passengers, aged 31 and 30, were sentenced to four months' imprisonment and fined $500 at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (April 29) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare to Customs officers, as well as for importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance and the Import and Export Ordinance. Photo shows the duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products seized.
Two incoming female passengers, aged 31 and 30, were sentenced to four months' imprisonment and fined $500 at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (April 29) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare to Customs officers, as well as for importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance and the Import and Export Ordinance. Photo shows the duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products seized.