District 18 News
Written by: Zeng Fengting
2020-09-17 18:29
Last update date: 2020-09-17 18:29
In recent years, the waters around Tuen Mun have become smuggling "severely hit areas."
The number of different types of smuggled goods in the region has increased by multiples, and smuggled cigarettes have the largest increase.
Tuen Mun District Councillor Wu Kuntai said that the smuggling situation in the waters of Tuen Mun is serious. Among them, illicit cigarette retail outlets have penetrated into Tuen Mun communities and housing estates, urging relevant government departments to strengthen law enforcement.
Tuen Mun has become a "smuggling logistics center" smuggled goods are on the rise
Wu Kuntai described Tuen Mun as a "smuggling logistics center." At present, smuggling activities in the area are dominated by waterways, usually in the southwestern part of the waters in the coastal park and the third runway south of Sha Chau.
Wu Kuntai believes that there may be more unseized figures.
In the past few weeks, he had inspected the sandbanks and the waters around Long Kwu Tan on the mountain. He found that smuggling boats had begun to appear at dusk, but when the media revealed it, he changed to sunset when the sky began to turn black.
According to the documents provided by the Customs and Excise Department to the Tuen Mun District Council, the number of illicit cigarettes seized in Tuen Mun in 2019 was 1.91 million, but from January to August this year there were 10.55 million cigarettes, and the number in Tuen Mun for eight months was last year 5.5 times of the whole year.
Other types such as food, milk powder, personal care items, expensive clothes and household goods have risen sharply, and the situation is worrying.
The problem of illicit cigarettes is particularly serious. In 2019, the number of illicit cigarettes stored, distributed and sold in Tuen Mun was 1.08 million, but from January to 9 this year, there were 11.38 million, a total increase. 10 times.
The epidemic has made smuggling serious
Wu Kuntai believes that the epidemic has aggravated the smuggling situation and that transnational crimes will only increase.
"The situation of smuggling goods has always been, and the demand has always been there. In the past, criminals mostly brought goods, but this method was not feasible after customs was sealed. They had to use water or container to do it, but this method is more It is high-risk and easy to be seized, so the number of seizures has risen sharply.” He also mentioned that neighbouring Macau had a similar situation. The number of illicit cigarettes seized in Macau in the first quarter of this year was more than 30% of that of the whole of last year.
It can be seen that smuggling is related to the closure of the epidemic.
In addition, Tuen Mun is geographically close to the Pearl River Delta, and there are also many brownfields. This type of place has less human management and less law enforcement, and it has become a storage warehouse for smuggled goods in disguise.
Wu Kuntai pointed out that the smuggling warehouses found earlier are all in similar places.
Wu Kuntai believes that the epidemic has aggravated the smuggling situation and that transnational crimes will only increase.
(Photo by Zheng Zifeng)
Illegal cigarettes mixed with "white brand cigarettes" retail outlets enter Tuen Mun community
In addition to the increasingly serious smuggling problem, Wu Kun Tai pointed out that some places in Tuen Mun, such as housing estates, shopping malls and shops, have become illicit cigarette retail outlets.
In the past, he sent personnel to investigate in various districts in Tuen Mun, and eventually found that at least 11 merchants were selling "white-label cigarettes".
"White brand cigarettes" is a non-main brand of cigarettes. Its retail outlets are scattered in the central area of the district, including Tuen Mun Leung King, Tian King, Po Tin, Tuen Mun City Center, San Hui, Ho Fuk Tong, Chi Lok, Tsing Hai Wai, Tuen Mun Factory area and mountain view area.
"White brand cigarettes" generally sell for 38-41 yuan, and the Hong Kong government levies a cigarette tax of 1.9 yuan per cigarette, which means a box of 38 yuan.
The price of a box of "white brand cigarettes" is similar to the tax on a box of cigarettes.
Although most "white label cigarettes" have sources such as Hong Kong, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates listed on the boxes, there is no way to verify the authenticity of the source, so the source and ingredients are still unknown, and they may pose a threat to the public.
Wu Kuntai suspects that these "white-brand cigarettes" are used for money laundering or "fishing" because smuggled cigarettes avoid taxes and can be sold at low prices.
In addition, illicit cigarettes have also penetrated into the Tuen Mun community. It is not difficult to find promotional leaflets of illicit cigarettes commonly known as "dim sum paper" near housing estates. If buyers buy through "dim sum paper", it can be cheaper The price of purchase.
These leaflets will be sent to every house in the form of building cleaning.
Wu Kuntai pointed out that in the past few months, many residents have received complaints from residents that their mailboxes and iron gates have received promotional leaflets about the sale of illicit cigarettes from time to time. Residents have even witnessed the delivery of illicit cigarettes in caravans near their homes.
Regarding smuggling incidents, Wu Kuntai pointed out that in the past, the District Council invited the Customs and Excise Department to follow the example of the police and let the District Councillors visit daily maritime patrols and investigations for joint operations, but the plan was rejected by the Customs.
He also urged the authorities at the meeting to step up efforts to combat smuggling and follow up on the issue of "white label cigarettes", but the customs, police, and Housing Department only used written replies. Wu Kuntai considered their replies to be "ambiguous."
He pointed out that the customs already holds information on the duty-paid cigarettes, suggesting that they can start an investigation from the registered cigarette importers and perform counting work in their warehouses to see how many goods they hold are not consistent with what they actually hold. .
In the Tuen Mun District Council tomorrow (18th), he will invite the police to follow the past practice of the Sai Kung District Council (to carry out joint operations at Budai O), that is, to allow district councillors to visit the daily maritime patrols in Tuen Mun.
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