A local man was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (July 8) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
Customs officers intercepted a 60-year-old man for inspection at the Chung Ying Street Checkpoint in Sha Tau Kok on June 24. Upon inspection, a total of 700 duty-not-paid cigarettes were found on him and in his shoulder bag, with an estimated market value of about $3,500 and a duty potential of about $2,300. He was subsequently arrested.
Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offence.
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).
