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Three incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing and dealing with duty-not-paid cigarettes and importing alternative smoking products (with photos)
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     ​Three incoming passengers were sentenced to six to seven months' imprisonment and fined $800 to $1,000, by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts yesterday (September 10) and today (September 11) for importing and dealing with duty-not-paid cigarettes, failing to declare them to Customs officers, as well as importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) and the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).

     Customs officers intercepted an incoming Mainland female passenger, aged 49, and an incoming Mainland male passenger, aged 30, at Hong Kong International Airport on June 10 and seized 9 200 duty-not-paid cigarettes and 81 600 alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $282,500 and a duty potential of about $30,400, from their personal baggage. The two passengers were subsequently arrested. They were respectively sentenced to seven months' imprisonment with a fine of $1,000, and six-months' imprisonment with a fine of $1,000 today.

     In addition, Customs officers intercepted a 56-year-old incoming Mainland male passenger at Hong Kong International Airport on September 9 and seized about 38 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes and 8 000 alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $195,000 and a duty potential of about $125,000 from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested. He was sentenced to six months' imprisonment with a fine of $800 yesterday.

     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.

     Under the IEO, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong 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/Friday, September 11, 2026
Issued at HKT 19:20
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Three incoming passengers were sentenced to six to seven months’ imprisonment and fined $800 to $1,000, by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts yesterday (September 10) and today (September 11) for importing and dealing with duty-not-paid cigarettes, failing to declare them to Customs officers, as well as importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance and the Import and Export Ordinance. Photo shows the duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products seized from the personal baggage of a 49-year-old incoming Mainland female passenger and a 30-year-old incoming Mainland male passenger.
Three incoming passengers were sentenced to six to seven months’ imprisonment and fined $800 to $1,000, by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts yesterday (September 10) and today (September 11) for importing and dealing with duty-not-paid cigarettes, failing to declare them to Customs officers, as well as importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance and the Import and Export Ordinance. Photo shows the duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products seized from the personal baggage of a 56-year-old incoming Mainland male passenger.