Two incoming female passengers were respectively sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment and two months' imprisonment, and fined $4,000 and $5,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (November 5) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
      
     Customs officers intercepted two incoming female passengers, aged 31 and 30, at the Lo Wu Control Point on October 10. Customs officer seized 8 400 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $34,000 and a duty potential of about $28,000, from the 31-year-old incoming female passenger's personal baggage and baby stroller. About 8 400 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $34,000 and a duty potential of about $28,000, were seized from the 30-year-old incoming female passenger's personal baggage. They were subsequently arrested. The 31-year-old female passenger was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment and fined $4,000, while the 30-year-old female passenger was sentenced to two months' imprisonment and fined $5,000, by the court today for contravening the DCO.
      
     Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence imposes a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.
      
     Customs reminds members of the public that 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.
      
     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/en/).

Ends/Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Issued at HKT 20:25

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