An incoming female passenger was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (June 16) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
Customs officers intercepted an incoming 44-year-old Chinese female passenger and her accompanying child at the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point yesterday (June 15) and seized 2 600 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $10,600 and a duty potential of about $8,500, from the backpack carried by her accompanying child. The female passenger was subsequently arrested.
Customs welcomes the sentence, noting that even a first-time offender may still be imprisoned. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. Members of the public should not defy the law.
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.
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/Tuesday, June 16, 2026
