A frequent cross-border traveler has raised concerns over the transparency of Shenzhen Customs procedures after being subjected to multiple inspections and delays by the authorities.
According to a post on Xiaohongshu, the traveler was required to pay a 97.5 yuan tax, which was calculated at a 13 percent rate on the total price of 750 yuan, for five books he was carrying when entering Liantang Port.
He alleged that customs officers failed to provide proper documentation, including a tax payment notice or written justification, during the initial inspection.
The traveler further claimed that officers searched his personal belongings, including his wallet and cash, without a clear explanation.
However, Customs contacted the traveler for a private meeting at their office, after the post gained significant attention with 35,000 views and over 2,000 saves in less than 24 hours after it was published.
During the meeting, officers inquired about his profession and the purpose of purchasing the books, replaying law enforcement footage to explain the taxation decision.
They also issued a supplementary tax notice and a written statement, requesting him to delete the social media post to "avoid disrupting customs operations."
The traveller deleted the post in the presence of officers.
In a follow-up post on Monday (May 19), the traveler revealed that he was inspected again at Futian Port due to his "prior tax payment record" when carrying books.
Despite presenting a receipt and reiterating that the books priced HK$350 were for personal use, he was detained for two hours before being allowed to proceed.
He further warned in the post that individuals making two or more round trips to Hong Kong within 15 days may face increased scrutiny, even for low-value purchases, potentially resulting in hours-long delays at Customs.
