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Auyueng attributed the excessive variety of folks caught at checkpoints to elevated inspections and the bigger variety of cross-border travellers because the border opened up after coronavirus journey restrictions had been axed.
He stated that 481 of these caught had been fined HK$2,000 and imposed 5 occasions the obligation payable on the contraband cigarettes as a result of their offences had been compoundable below the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance. The entire penalties amounted to HK$2 million.
Auyueng added the opposite 17 had been charged below the laws. Possession of contraband cigarettes in Hong Kong is punishable by as much as two years in jail and an HK$1 million positive.
“Customs will assess the particular particulars of every case, making an allowance for components equivalent to the quantity of taxes concerned and whether or not people have beforehand violated laws, to find out whether or not to compound offences or prosecute,” he defined.
Auyueng warned that the best penalty imposed by a court docket final yr for possession of contraband cigarettes was a HK$20,000 positive and three months in jail.
Greater than 200 employees from customs’ income crime investigation bureau have additionally been mobilised to hold out enforcement motion throughout town.
Officers arrested a 26-year-old man the identical day after they discovered HK$32 million value of untaxed cigarettes hidden in a truck and a transport container at a Tuen Mun automobile park.
Hong Kong customs seizes HK$2.25 billion value of smuggled cigarettes in 2023
Hong Kong customs seizes HK$2.25 billion value of smuggled cigarettes in 2023
Customs Superintendent Jeff Lau Leung-chi stated the investigation confirmed that the truck and the container had been utilized by a bootleg cigarette syndicate as a cellular storage centre.
Customs additionally raided a subdivided flat in Sham Shui Po the day earlier than, seized HK$860,000 value of unlawful cigarettes and arrested a 56-year-old lady.
“Intelligence revealed illicit cigarette syndicates have more and more been utilizing subdivided flats in city areas as storage and distribution centres for unlawful tobacco merchandise in an try and make the most of densely populated places as cowl and to evade detection,” Lau defined.
However he stated syndicates had began to make use of totally different methods due to a crackdown on their criminal activity.
“They now are likely to retailer a big amount of illicit cigarettes in a number of subdivided flats used as mini-storage amenities,” he added.
“The tactic is to minimise threat and cut back monetary losses in case one of many storage centres is found.”
The crackdown additionally lined street-level peddling of untaxed cigarettes, with 10 sellers and 25 patrons of unlawful tobacco merchandise detected.
The rise in tobacco tax raised the common value of a pack of 20 cigarettes by HK$16 to greater than HK$90. A pack prices HK$19 to HK$38 on the black market.
Hong Kong customs arrests 8 and seizes HK$82 million value of contraband cigarettes
Hong Kong customs arrests 8 and seizes HK$82 million value of contraband cigarettes
Lau stated customs would hold an in depth eye on developments within the wake of the tax enhance on tobacco.
“Customs is carefully monitoring the scenario at varied management factors and within the underground market,” he added.
“On the similar time, we can even regulate inside sources in a well timed and versatile method to hold out varied sorts of particular operations to crack down on the unlawful commerce of black market cigarettes.”
Lau stated the HK$62 million in seized cigarettes would have generated about HK$43 million in tax if the tobacco had been legally imported.
He added Operation Tempest continued and extra seizures and arrests had been doable.
Lau stated it was a continuing battle of wits between the authorities and criminals.
“We imagine illicit cigarette syndicates will proceed to continuously change their ways to keep away from customs detection,” he added.
However Lau stated good intelligence-gathering and threat evaluation meant customs officers may monitor criminal activity and take motion to fight the illicit cigarette commerce at quite a lot of ranges.
Customs officers confiscated 652 million black market cigarettes value HK$2.25 billion final yr, the best annual money worth for greater than 20 years.
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