Based on the analysis of risk management data, the Port and Maritime Division of the Hong Kong Customs locked a barge on the 20th of this month. It was suspected that the barge was used for smuggling. So at about 10:00 am on the same day, a regional patrol boat was dispatched to intercept the barge near the Yau Ma Tei anchorage. check.
Officers found two Hong Kong crew members and three 40-foot containers on board, and asked the crew to open the containers for inspection. They finally found 36 million suspected smuggled cigarettes in the containers, with a market value of about 100 million yuan and a taxable value of about 70 million yuan.
Officers arrested a 43-year-old and a 56-year-old man on board, and found a suspected drug inhalation paraphernalia on one of the arrested crew members.
Customs will continue to investigate the source and whereabouts of the illicit cigarettes.
Tang Jiajun, Senior Inspector of the Customs Port and Sea Area Division (Marine Area Investigation Team), continued to point out that after a long period of observation and analysis, officers locked a barge on the 20th of this month and suspected that the barge was used for smuggling.
He pointed out that ordinary barges can carry dozens of containers in order to achieve the effect of cost reduction, but the barge involved carried three containers, which is different from the operation mode of ordinary barges, so he dispatched regional patrol boats to intercept the barge, and Ask the crew to open the container for inspection.
However, the crew members held a non-cooperative attitude at first, and hesitated. Finally, they opened the container and found that there were 36 million unpaid cigarettes in it, with a market value of about 100 million yuan and a taxable value of about 70 million. Two crew members were arrested immediately , The first group of the tax crime investigation department followed up the case.
The case is still under investigation and further arrests cannot be ruled out.
Deng Jiajun mentioned that when the customs clearance at land ports was not complete, most of the goods were transported to Hong Kong by water, and smugglers also took advantage of the trend of freight logistics to send smuggled goods by water in an attempt to sneak into Hong Kong.
According to experience, every holiday and New Year's Eve are the times when smugglers are active.
Barges berth at busy anchorages and take cover from other ships
Cai Xianming, Senior Inspector of the Customs Port and Maritime Division (Maritime Operations Group), said that the barge involved in the case deliberately parked near the busy Yau Ma Tei anchorage at the time, trying to use other barges operating normally as cover and cover, hoping to avoid detection by customs officers.
When the officers boarded the ship to check the container numbers, they found that all three containers were numbered with what is commonly known as a "false number".
Since the crew could not show the cargo manifest to the customs officers, nor could they explain what cargo was contained in the container, arousing staff suspicion.
Most of the illicit cigarettes are foreign brand cigarettes, and the use of re-exports is not ruled out
Ye Limin, senior investigation director of the tax crime investigation department of the Customs, said that the officers found that most of the illicit cigarettes were foreign brand cigarettes, and it is not ruled out that they will be used for re-export.
As the epidemic gradually subsided, logistics began to return to normal. Private cigarette groups replenished their supply before Christmas and New Year to supply to local and overseas markets.
Customs strengthened source interception and cracked down on illicit cigarette activities.
From the beginning of this year to yesterday (29th), Customs has seized more than 751 million unpaid cigarettes, with a market value of more than 2.07 billion yuan and a taxable value of about 1.43 billion yuan, which is about 427 million illicit cigarettes seized in the whole year of last year. Smoke exceeds 70%.
Customs emphasizes that smuggling is a serious crime. According to the Import and Export Ordinance, anyone who imports or exports unmanifested goods, upon conviction, can be fined up to $2 million and imprisoned for 7 years.
Buying and selling illegal cigarettes is also illegal.
According to the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone who deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offense and is liable to a maximum fine of $1 million and imprisonment for 2 years upon conviction.
Members of the public can report suspected smuggling activities to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182, or through the dedicated crime reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).