​Three incoming passengers were sentenced to three to six months' imprisonment and fined $500 each by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (July 2) 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 three incoming male passengers, aged 41, 25 and 28, at Hong Kong International Airport on June 30 and seized around 137 800 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with a market value of about $660,000 and a duty potential of about $455,000, from their personal baggage. The three passengers were subsequently arrested.
      
     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/Thursday, July 2, 2026
Issued at HKT 19:19

NNNN