Hong Kong Customs yesterday (November 12) raided a suspected illicit cigarette storage centre in Kwai Chung and seized about 240 000 suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $1.08 million and a duty potential of about $790,000. Five persons suspected to be connected with the case were arrested.

     Through intelligence analysis and after a thorough investigation, Customs discovered that a cigarette smuggling syndicate had been using hotel rooms as illicit cigarette storage centres, and intercepted four suspicious men at a hotel in Kwai Chung yesterday afternoon. About 80 000 suspected illicit cigarettes were seized from their nylon bags on a luggage cart, and they were subsequently arrested. Later, Customs officers escorted them to a room within the hotel for a search and further seized 160 000 suspected illicit cigarettes, and arrested another man in the room. The five arrested men were aged between 22 and 52.

     Customs believes that the arrestees deliberately made use of hotel rooms as temporary storage centres and distributed illicit cigarettes in the mode of an "ant-moving-home" to reduce the risk of being detected by Customs. This operation successfully dismantled a syndicate that utilised hotel rooms for the storage and distribution of illicit cigarettes. Customs will continue to trace the source and flow of the illicit cigarettes. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.

     The five arrested men were charged with "dealing with goods to which the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance applies" and will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (November 14).

     Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multipronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to spare no effort in combating illicit cigarette activities.

     Customs stresses that it is an offence to buy or sell illicit cigarettes. Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying 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).

Ends/Thursday, November 13, 2025
Issued at HKT 18:26

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