An incoming passenger was sentenced to three months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (December 11) for dealing with duty-not-paid cigarettes, failing to declare them to Customs officers, as well as importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) and Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).
      
     Customs officers intercepted the incoming female passenger, aged 34, at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (December 10). A total of 20 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes and 8 600 alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $116,000 and a duty potential of about $66,000, were seized from her personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.
      
     The female passenger was sentenced to three months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 in contravention of the DCO and was sentenced to three 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, cigarettes 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/Thursday, December 11, 2025
Issued at HKT 18:23

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