A 59-year-old incoming traveler was sentenced to four weeks in prison and fined HK$2,000 after trying to cross the border with yoga pants bulging with "square lumps."
The incident occurred last Friday (May 29) at the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point. Customs officers intercepted the arriving female traveler after noticing highly unusual, block-shaped protrusions bulging from her clothing.
Upon conducting a search, officers arrested the woman on the spot. They discovered a total of 981 sticks of duty-not-paid cigarettes concealed tightly against her thighs and calves.
The seized contraband has an estimated market value of approximately HK$4,400, with a duty potential of about HK$3,200.
A photograph later released by the Customs and Excise Department clearly illustrated the prominent rectangular outlines of the cigarette packs beneath her yoga pants.
The traveler was subsequently charged with possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to customs officers. The court handed down a sentence of four weeks' imprisonment alongside a HK$2,000 fine.
In a statement, Customs welcomed the ruling, adding that the case sends a strong deterrent message and reflects the seriousness of the offense, even for first-time offenders.
Under Hong Kong's Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in importing, dealing with, possessing, selling, or buying illicit cigarettes commits a criminal offense. Convictions carry severe penalties, including a maximum fine of HK$2 million and up to seven years of imprisonment.
The department continues to urge members of the public to report any suspected smuggling activities through the official 24-hour customs hotline, their dedicated crime-reporting email, or via their online reporting portal.
