Hong Kong Customs detected a suspected speedboat-related smuggling case in Lau Fau Shan on March 16. A batch of suspected smuggled goods, including electronic products, high-value food and cosmetics, with an estimated market value of about $20 million was seized.
Customs officers conducted an anti-smuggling operation in Lau Fau Shan on that day and spotted several suspicious men on the shore moving cartons from a lorry to a speedboat using a ladder with metal rollers. The officers then took action and those men immediately jumped onto the speedboat and fled.
Customs officers later intercepted the lorry suspected to be connected with the case in the vicinity. A batch of suspected smuggled goods, including electronic parts, camera lenses of smartphones, dried abalones, bird nests, dried sea cucumbers and cosmetics was seized on board the lorry.
During the operation, a 32-year-old man suspected to be connected with the case was arrested and the lorry suspected to be involved was detained.
An investigation is ongoing and the arrested man has been released on bail pending further investigation.
Customs stresses that it will keep up its enforcement actions and will continue to fiercely combat sea smuggling activities by actively pursuing risk-management and intelligence-based enforcement strategies, along with mounting targeted anti-smuggling operations at suitable times and maintaining close co-operation in its intelligence exchanges with local and overseas law enforcement agencies to land a solid blow against relevant activities.
Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Thursday, March 18, 2021
