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Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected illicit cigarettes worth about $1.8 million (with photos)
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     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (July 17) seized about 400 000  suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $1.8 million and a duty potential of about $1.3 million, at the Customs Tsing Yi Cargo Examination Compound.
          
     Through risk assessment, Customs officers yesterday inspected a 20-foot seaborn consolidated container, declared as aluminum sheet, arriving in Hong Kong from Vietnam. Officers seized 400 000 suspected illicit cigarettes inside one of the consignments. The criminals had modified hollowed-out aluminum sheets as a container to conceal the illicit cigarettes in an attempt to deter detection by Customs.
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     Customs stresses that smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60), any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years. Moreover, under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109), any person who 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/Saturday, July 18, 2026
Issued at HKT 17:45
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Hong Kong Customs seized about 400 000 suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $1.8 million and a duty potential of about $1.3 million at the Customs Tsing Yi Cargo Examination Compound, yesterday (July 17). Photo shows some of the suspected illicit cigarettes seized.
Hong Kong Customs seized about 400 000 suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $1.8 million and a duty potential of about $1.3 million at the Customs Tsing Yi Cargo Examination Compound, yesterday (July 17). Photo shows some of the suspected illicit cigarettes seized.
Hong Kong Customs seized about 400 000 suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $1.8 million and a duty potential of about $1.3 million at the Customs Tsing Yi Cargo Examination Compound, yesterday (July 17). Photo shows some of the suspected illicit cigarettes seized.