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Hong Kong Customs steps up enforcement operations to combat smuggling activities to Macao by river trade vessels (with photos)
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     ​Hong Kong Customs has conducted special operations since late September to strengthen enforcement against sea smuggling activities to Macao by river trade vessels.
      
     During the operations, Hong Kong Customs detected three smuggling cases and seized a large batch of smuggled goods, including about 790 000 suspected controlled pharmaceutical products, about 150 000 suspected controlled injections, and about 142 kilograms of cigars and tobacco, with an estimated market value of over $77 million.
      
     Investigations of the above-mentioned cases are ongoing. The likelihood of arrests is not ruled out.
      
     During the period, Hong Kong Customs also provided intelligence to Macao Customs and conducted joint enforcement operations. During the operations, Macao Customs detected two cases involving river trade vessels smuggling goods from Hong Kong to Macao in early October, seizing a large batch of smuggled medicines, health supplements and cosmetics, etc, with an estimated market value of about MOP$2.7 million (about HK$2.62 million).
      
     Being a government department primarily responsible for tackling smuggling activities, Hong Kong Customs has long been combating various smuggling activities on all fronts. Hong Kong Customs will keep up its enforcement action and continue to resolutely combat sea smuggling activities through proactive risk management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, and carry out targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times to crack down on relevant crimes.
      
     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years. Any person who exports pharmaceutical products and medicines without a valid export 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/Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Issued at HKT 16:35
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Hong Kong Customs has conducted special operations since late September to strengthen enforcement against sea smuggling activities to Macao by river trade vessels and seized a large batch of smuggled goods with an estimated market value of over $77 million. Photo shows some of the suspected smuggled goods seized.
Hong Kong Customs has conducted special operations since late September to strengthen enforcement against sea smuggling activities to Macao by river trade vessels and seized a large batch of smuggled goods with an estimated market value of over $77 million. Photo shows some of the suspected smuggled goods seized.
Hong Kong Customs has conducted special operations since late September to strengthen enforcement against sea smuggling activities to Macao by river trade vessels and seized a large batch of smuggled goods with an estimated market value of over $77 million. Photo shows some of the suspected smuggled goods seized.