An incoming passenger was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $300 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (March 10) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

     Customs officers intercepted an incoming male passenger, aged 52, at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (March 9) and seized about 43 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $175,400 and a duty potential of about $141,400. The passenger was subsequently arrested.

     Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed 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).

Ends/Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Issued at HKT 19:15

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