Customs, police bust 23 illicit cigarette spots in Sham Shui Po
HK01 · 4 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong Customs and the Sham Shui Po Police District carried out a joint enforcement operation from September 18 to 30 targeting illicit cigarette activity in Sham Shui Po. The operation uncovered multiple cases and led officers to 22 temporary storage points and one mobile street stall used for illicit cigarette trading. Authorities said about 100,000 suspected illicit cigarettes were seized, with an estimated market value of about HK$480,000 and a duty potential of about HK$350,000. Five people were arrested, including two local men, two local women and one Vietnamese man.
Key Points
- The joint crackdown was conducted between September 18 and 30 by Hong Kong Customs and the Sham Shui Po Police District.
- Officers raided 22 temporary illicit cigarette storage points and one mobile illicit cigarette stall across Sham Shui Po.
- The haul totalled about 100,000 suspected illicit cigarettes, with an estimated market value of HK$480,000.
- Authorities also estimated the seized cigarettes carried unpaid duty of about HK$350,000.
- Those arrested were two local men, two local women and one Vietnamese man, according to Customs.
Why It Matters
The case points to a street-level supply chain in which temporary storage points and mobile stalls were allegedly used to distribute illicit cigarettes within a densely populated district. For Hong Kong readers, the enforcement message is also clear: handling, possessing, selling or buying illicit cigarettes is illegal under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, with a maximum penalty of a HK$2 million fine and seven years' imprisonment.