HONG KONG: Hong Kong Customs in a two-week special operation targeting cross-boundary smuggling of illicit cigarettes has seized two cross-boundary vehicles full of illicit cigarettes and smashed five illicit cigarette storage points. About 3.95 million sticks of illicit cigarettes were seized.
The total market value has been estimated at $10 million with a duty potential of about $6.7 million. The two male drivers, and two men and three women at the stores were arrested. The operation marked the effectiveness of the Hong Kong Customs’ strategy of enhancing enforcement at source.