Hong Kong Customs yesterday (July 24) mounted an enforcement operation to combat illicit cigarette smuggling activities by sea and detected two speedboat smuggling cases in the eastern waters of Hong Kong. A total of about three million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $13.85 million and a duty potential of about $10.18 million were seized.

     Customs officers yesterday early morning conducted an anti-smuggling operation in the waters off Sai Kung and spotted two suspicious loaded speedboats. The officers then proceeded for investigation and the two speedboats immediately fled at a high speed towards the eastern waters of Hong Kong.

     During the chase, the suspicious people onboard the speedboats kept throwing boxes into the sea and the speedboats finally left Hong Kong waters. Customs officers found a total of 292 boxes of suspected illicit cigarettes in the waters nearby. Thereafter, officers intercepted another speedboat in the eastern waters of Hong Kong and 16 boxes of illicit cigarettes were found. In the operation, officers arrested a 34-year-old Mainland man suspected to be connected with the case, and seized one speedboat and about three million suspected illicit cigarettes.

     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 25, 2026
Issued at HKT 8:49

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