In recent years, Hong Kong Customs has noted an increasing trend in cases involving unlicensed money services provided through social media platforms. To effectively combat such illegal activities, Customs has intensified online patrols and enforcement efforts, and detected 23 cases of unlicensed money service operations and arrested 24 individuals in 2025, of which 22 cases involved the use of social media platforms.
      
     During the investigation of the unlicensed money service operations, Customs discovered that in four cases, the bank accounts involved had frequent and substantial transactions of unknown sources. Upon detailed investigations, Customs arrested four bank account holders suspected of using unlicensed money services to launder money. One of the bank account holders had earlier been charged with two counts of "dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable offence" (commonly known as money laundering), and was convicted and sentenced to 54 months of imprisonment by the court.
      
     Customs will continue to step up enforcement to crack down on unlicensed money service operations. Customs reminds consumers to procure services from licensed money service operators. A register of licensees is accessible from the website of Customs' Money Service Operators Licensing System at eservices.customs.gov.hk/MSOS/wsrh/001s1?request_locale=en.
      
     Under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance, a person commits an offence if he or she deals with any property knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that such property in whole or in part directly or indirectly represents any person's proceeds of an indictable offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and imprisonment for 14 years while the crime proceeds are also subject to confiscation.
      
     Under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance, a person who wishes to operate a remittance or money changing service such as operating an electronic wallet top‑up service involving currency exchange needs to first obtain a licence from the Customs and Excise Department. The maximum penalty for such operators without a valid licence upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected unlicensed money service operation 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, January 13, 2026
Issued at HKT 16:55

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