​A local forwarder was convicted and fined $20,000 by the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (September 10) for exporting prohibited articles of Chinese herbal medicine and proprietary Chinese medicine not under and in accordance with an export licence, in contravention of the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).
      
     During an investigation into a contraband export case, Customs officers found a local forwarder that had exported a shipment of Chinese herbal medicine Radix Clematidis and proprietary Chinese medicine containing "Ejiao" to Canada without a valid export licence. The total estimated market value of the cargo was about $67,000.
      
     Customs welcomed the courts' ruling and believed that they have provided clear and explicit warnings to the public.
      
     Customs reminds members of the public that under the IEO, any person who exports Chinese herbal medicine and proprietary Chinese medicine without a valid licence commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for two years.
      
     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/Thursday, September 10, 2026
Issued at HKT 15:50

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