Two passengers arriving at Hong Kong International Airport were sentenced to three months imprisonment and fined HK$2,000 each for smuggling approximately 24,000 untaxed cigarettes.
Customs officers intercepted the 47-year-old woman and 43-year-old man on Monday, discovering the cigarettes worth about HK$98,000 in their personal luggage, with potential duty of HK$79,000. Both were arrested for possessing untaxed cigarettes without declaration, violating the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance.
The sentences were delivered at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on Wednesday. Customs welcomed the ruling, noting imprisonment serves as effective deterrent reflecting offense severity.
Under Hong Kong's Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, tobacco is dutiable. Importing, handling, possessing, selling, or purchasing illicit cigarettes carries maximum penalties of HK$2 million fine and seven years' imprisonment. The same penalties apply to alternative smoking product imports under the Import and Export Ordinance.
