Man jailed for 4 months after HK$93,000 worth of illicit cigarettes found in airport luggage

A 29-year-old man was sentenced to four months in prison and fined HK$2,000 after customs officers discovered HK$93,000 worth of untaxed cigarettes in his luggage at Hong Kong International Airport.

The passenger, who arrived in Hong Kong on Tuesday, was found carrying approximately 20,700 sticks of duty-not-paid cigarettes with a duty value of about HK$68,000.

He was arrested for handling unstamped cigarettes and failing to declare the goods to customs officers, violating the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance.

The sentence was handed down at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on Wednesday. Customs authorities welcomed the ruling, stating the imprisonment serves as a strong deterrent and fully reflects the seriousness of the offense.

Customs reminded the public that cigarettes are dutiable commodities under the ordinance. Anyone involved in importing, handling, possessing, selling or buying illicit cigarettes faces maximum penalties of HK$2 million in fines and seven years' imprisonment upon conviction.