An incoming female passenger was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $500 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (February 12) for importing alternative smoking products, importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO) and the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
Customs officers intercepted an incoming female passenger, aged 31, at Hong Kong International Airport on December 17, 2025, and seized about 20 000 alternative smoking products and about 17800 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with a total estimated market value of about $134,100 and a duty potential of about $58,800, from her personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.
Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.
Customs reminds members of the public that 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).
