An incoming passenger was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $2,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (January 5) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, as well as for importing an alternative smoking product, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) and the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).
Customs officers intercepted the incoming female passenger, aged 22, at Hong Kong International Airport on October 10, 2025. A total of 91 600 duty-not-paid cigarettes and an alternative smoking product, with an estimated market value of about $376,000 and a duty potential of about $303,000, were seized from her personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.
The female passenger today was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 in contravention of the DCO, and was fined $1,000 in contravention of the IEO.
Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.
Under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Under the IEO, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Ends/Monday, January 5, 2026
