Customs punished family-style cross-border smuggling group to pull 13 people to inspect 160 metric tons of frozen meat involved in money laundering of 190 million

Burst

Written by: Chen Nuoxi, Huang Weimin, Qiu Qiqian

2020-08-20 11:06

The Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department carried out law enforcement operations code-named "Haiqing" for two consecutive days (13th and 14th) last Thursday, successfully smashing a family-run cross-border frozen meat smuggling and money laundering group. During the operation, about 160 metric tons of suspected smuggled frozen meat were seized, with an estimated market value of about 25 million yuan. The value of the smuggled frozen meat and the assets considered by the customs for confiscating the whole case involved a total of 190 million yuan, which was the highest amount of money among similar cases cracked in the past five years. In the case, the customs detained 13 men and women between the ages of 40 and 65. All the arrested persons were relatives.

The customs seized large amounts of cash. (Photo by Huang Weimin)

Senior Supervisor of the Organized Crime Investigation Bureau, Hu Weijun, pointed out that the smuggling syndicate first arranged for the imported frozen meat to be delivered to the container yard they rented for disassembly, consolidation and packaging, and then arranged for container trucks to transport the frozen meat to the wharf and then to the barge. Late at night, it was towed by a tugboat to the west of Hong Kong, waiting for the inland speedboat or cargo ship to respond and deliver. Customs believes that the abandoned docks in Nansha and Panyu were unloaded, and the frozen meat was transported by trucks to frozen warehouses in Jiangmen, Foshan and Dongguan for storage.

Hu Weijun continued that the frozen meat is mainly expensive beef and beef ribs from the United States. Customs will continue to investigate whether the relevant frozen meat has flowed into the local market and will also investigate the actual operating hours of the group.

Wang Liyong, the commander of the Special Investigation Group 1 of the Organized Crime Investigation Bureau, said that this smuggling group is very organized. After investigation by the Customs, it was found that the group was entirely composed of family members and relatives, including the master 3 brothers and sisters, the master wife and her brother-in-law, etc. The group also organized container yards and wharves, and set up its own fleet, barges and tugboats to smuggle in one-stop manner. The main brain will also be present to personally supervise.

The key members of the smuggling group are relatives

For two consecutive days (13th and 14th) since last Thursday, the customs dispatched more than 250 people to carry out the law enforcement action code-named "Haiqing" and arrested 13 people, including the main brain and key members. On the evening of the 13th, a barge and tugboat were intercepted off Long Kwu Chau, and about 160 tonnes of suspected smuggled frozen meat were seized on the barge, with an estimated market value of about 25 million yuan. Four men between 55 and 65 years of age were arrested. Later, the Customs raided 13 places in the New Territories of Kowloon, including 7 business registration addresses, 4 residences, 1 container yard and 1 terminal office. Six men and three women were arrested, aged between 40 and 58 years old.

During the operation, about 18 million yuan in cash and valuables were seized, a total of about 27 million yuan in bank accounts under the group members’ deposits were frozen, and 8 properties and 3 parking spaces worth about 120 million yuan in the group members’ names were confiscated. The value and assets of the smuggled frozen meat involved in the whole case totaled about 190 million yuan.

Deng Huiyan, the supervisor of the Wealth Investigation Division, said that the group would use the proceeds of the crime to buy gold wares and precious watches. During the operation, a large number of gold bars and gold ornaments were seized. At the same time, cash was found to be sealed in envelopes and letter bags with adhesive tape.

+3

+2

Marine police and maritime associations cracked smuggling cases twice in two days and inspected $13.7 million fish maw and shark fin and other goods

Smuggling of red sandalwood | Customs conduct random inspections of South Korean transshipment to the Mainland for container inspection of 1.8 million smuggled red sandalwood

Customs broke 23 cases of smuggling frozen meat in half a year and inspected 90 million yuan of goods for the total amount of the past 11 years

Anti-smuggling operation in Sha Tau Kok seized 2.4 million cargo, 6 men fled to inland waters by speedboat

Customs smuggling