HONG KONG: Hong Kong Customs mounted a one-week special operation to combat cross-border smuggling of illicit cigarettes and distribution of cigarettes throughout the territory.
In the operation, a cross-boundary vehicle used for conveying illicit cigarettes was seized and six illicit cigarette storage points were smashed. About 3.3 million sticks of illicit cigarettes were seized.
The total market value was about $8.1 million with a duty potential of about $5.6 million. Three men and three women aged between 41 and 58 were arrested.
The department is committed to taking stringent enforcement against illicit cigarette activities for protection of Government revenue. This operation focused on the source of illicit cigarettes and the distribution activities.
After X-ray examination and thorough inspection by Customs officers, about 2.7 million sticks of illicit cigarettes in 193 carton boxes were found mixing with other goods and concealed at the innermost part where the goods were placed.
