Driver charged after HK bridge drug products seizure
Bastillepost · 3 SOURCESabout 5 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong Customs said it uncovered a suspected smuggling case involving an outbound truck at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port on October 13, seizing about 320,000 suspected pharmaceutical products with an estimated market value of around HK$18 million. A 39-year-old mainland Chinese male driver was arrested and charged, with the case set for mention at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on October 14.
Key Points
- Customs officers intercepted an outbound goods vehicle at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port after a risk assessment operation on October 13.
- The truck had been declared as carrying health supplements, skincare products and clothing before officers examined the cargo area.
- During the inspection, officers found about 320,000 suspected pharmaceutical products concealed in the truck bed, with an estimated value of about HK$18 million.
- The arrested suspect is a 39-year-old mainland Chinese man who was identified as the driver of the outbound truck.
- He has been charged with one count of attempting to export unmanifested cargo and is scheduled to appear in West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on October 14.
Why It Matters
The case points to continued enforcement pressure at major cross-boundary checkpoints, where customs officers say they will keep using risk assessment and intelligence analysis against smuggling activity. The legal consequences can be severe: under the Import and Export Ordinance, exporting unmanifested cargo carries a maximum penalty of a HK$2 million fine and seven years’ imprisonment, while exporting pharmaceutical products without a valid licence can bring a HK$500,000 fine and two years’ imprisonment.