Two incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products (with photo)

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     Two incoming passengers were both sentenced to eight months' imprisonment, with one passenger fined $500 and the other passenger fined $1,500, at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (September 19) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them 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 a 26-year-old incoming male passenger and a 25-year-old incoming female passenger at Hong Kong International Airport on June 9. About 41 100 duty-not-paid cigarettes and about 81 000 alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $413,000 and a duty potential of about $136,000, were seized from their personal baggage. They were subsequently arrested.

     The male passenger was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,500 in contravention of the DCO and was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment in contravention of the IEO today. The sentences will run concurrently.

     The female passenger was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $500 in contravention of the DCO and was sentenced to eight months' imprisonment in contravention of the IEO today. The sentences will run concurrently.

     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 $2 million and imprisonment for seven 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/Friday, September 19, 2025
Issued at HKT 18:58

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Two incoming passengers were both sentenced to eight months' imprisonment, with one passenger fined $500 and the other passenger fined $1,500, at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (September 19) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them 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.