Customs seizes suspected smuggled gold bars worth about HK$10m

Customs seized 20 gold bars on Monday weighing about 20 kilograms in total, with an estimated market value of about HK$10 million, at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Control Point.

Based on a risk assessment, Customs intercepted an outgoing seven-seater vehicle yesterday afternoon at the HZMB Control Point for inspection due to the driver acting suspiciously.

Upon X-ray examination, it was discovered that the image near the bottom of the vehicle was abnormal, and a batch of suspected smuggled gold was found in a false compartment of the vehicle’s console box.

The 32-year-old male driver from Macau was arrested on suspicion of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo.

It is understood that the arrested driver has a record of traveling back and forth on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in the past.

He is set to appear for a hearing at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (Jan 10).

The customs spokesman stated that each kilogram of gold is sold for around HK$500,000 in Hong Kong, while the Shanghai Gold Exchange shows that each kilogram of gold is sold for about HK$530,000, and they do not rule out the possibility that smugglers are smuggling the gold through Macau to sell for profit in the mainland.

They added that they will continue to investigate the source of the gold, along with its owner, and determine whether or not this incident involves money laundering.