15th January 2025 – (Hong Kong) A 25-year-old male passenger was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and fined $500 at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts today, for possession of duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare these items to Customs Officers. The case was prosecuted under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
The incident occurred on 13th January, when customs officials intercepted the passenger at Hong Kong International Airport. A subsequent search of his personal baggage revealed approximately 38,200 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of around $105,000 and a potential duty of about $126,000. The passenger was arrested on the spot.
Customs officials have welcomed the sentencing as a significant deterrent against similar offences, highlighting the seriousness of the crime. They reiterated that under the DCO, tobacco products are classified as dutiable goods, and any individual found dealing with, possessing, selling, or purchasing illicit cigarettes is committing an offence. The maximum penalty for such violations includes a fine of up to $1 million and imprisonment for a term of two years.
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