Two incoming passengers were sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $500, and two months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 respectively by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (March 25) 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 38, at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) on March 21 and seized 54 820 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $246,600 and a duty potential of about $181,200, from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested. He was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $500 today.
      
     As well, Customs officers intercepted an incoming female passenger, aged 38, at HKIA on March 23 and seized 10 381 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $46,700 and a duty potential of about $34,300, from her personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested. She was sentenced to two months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 today.
      
     Customs welcomes the sentences. The custodial sentences have imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflect the seriousness of the offences.
      
     Customs reminds members of the public that 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.

     ​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/Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Issued at HKT 16:31

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