Hong Kong customs seizes 2.6m suspected illicit cigarettes

HONG KONG -- Customs of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) said Thursday it seized about 2.6 million suspected illicit cigarettes a day before.

Customs officers inspected a 20-foot container declared to contain tableware arriving in Hong Kong from Guangzhou at the River Trade Terminal Cargo Examination Compound in Tuen Mun on Wednesday.

After inspection, customs officers found about 2.6 million suspected illicit cigarettes mix-loaded with the declared goods in the container.

The seized cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about 7 million Hong Kong dollars (about $900,000) and a duty potential of about 5 million Hong Kong dollars (about $640,000), marked the second largest case of cigarette smuggling by sea uncovered by Hong Kong customs this year, the customs said.

Investigation on the case is ongoing. Under the HKSAR's Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of 2 million Hong Kong dollars (about $250,000) and imprisonment for seven years.