Customs officers of Man Kam To Control Point this morning (November 17) foiled a smuggling attempt and seized from an incoming medium goods vehicle 1.9 million sticks of cigarettes.
The seized cigarettes were worth about $2.9 million and carried a duty potential of $1.55 million.
About 9.30 am, Customs officers intercepted a medium goods vehicle arriving from Shenzhen to Hong Kong, which was declared to be carrying 21 cartons of electronic accessories, 250 cartons of assorted women's clothing and cloth.
After cargo examination, Customs officers seized 193 cartons of 1.9 million sticks of unmanifested cigarettes inside the cargo compartment.
A 55-year-old male driver was arrested.
Any person found guilty of importing unmanifested cargo under the Import and Export Ordinance is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for two years; or on conviction on indictment to a fine of $2 million and seven years' imprisonment.
Ends/Thursday, November 17, 2005