​Hong Kong Customs detected a suspected smuggling case involving a river trade vessel on April 1. Large batches of suspected smuggled goods with a total estimated market value of about $700,000 were seized.
      
     In the afternoon on that day, Customs identified a suspicious river trade vessel during sea patrol in the northwest area of Hong Kong waters and intercepted the vessel for inspection. Upon examination, Customs officers seized a large batch of suspected smuggled goods on board, including suspected pharmaceutical products, dried abalones, leather bags, liquors and wine. A captain and a crew member of the vessel, suspected of violating the Import and Export Ordinance, were arrested during the operation.
      
     Being a government department primarily responsible for tackling smuggling activities, Customs has long been combating various smuggling activities on all fronts. Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to resolutely combat sea smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to crack down on relevant crimes.
      
     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling 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/Friday, April 3, 2026
Issued at HKT 13:10

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