$2.25b worth of illicit cigs top customs' growing annual haul

The Customs and Excise Department handled a total of 19,120 cases in 2023, which is a significant increase of 1.7 times compared to the year before.

Among these cases, illicit cigarettes had the largest share with a total of 11,805 cases. The department seized about 652 million cigarettes, valued at HK$2.256 billion.

Commissioner of Customs and Excise Louise Ho Pui-shan said there was a substantial 2.4-fold year-on-year increase in illicit cigarette cases. This increase can be attributed to the resumption of cross-border travel between Hong Kong and mainland China, as well as the implementation of an increased tobacco tax.

The department also discovered 46 percent more dangerous drug cases, totaling 1,362 cases. It seized about 9.5 tons of drugs.

"Drug trafficking has become increasingly internationalized and organized over the years, with criminals employing sophisticated strategies and a well-defined division of labor. These strategies both include hiring travelers to traffic drugs using covert methods as well as the large-scale transport of goods," Ho said.

The rise in the number of drug cases can be attributed to the continuous increase in global drug production, particularly with substances like cocaine and "ice."

In response to these emerging trends, Customs has implemented targeted measures and is collaborating with law enforcement agencies both locally and internationally to enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement.

Regarding smuggling, the department recorded 221 cases last year, a two percent decrease compared to 2022. The total value of seizures amounted to HK$3.165 billion, indicating a 1.4-fold increase compared to the previous year.

Since the full resumption of travel with the mainland, the number of passenger and vehicle trips has recovered to about 65 percent of pre-pandemic levels. Specifically, there were about 210 million passenger trips and 10.3 million vehicle trips.

The Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles scheme, which enables private cars to travel to the mainland through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge port, has been well received by the public. From July 1, 2022 until now, there have been 582,000 vehicle trips made under this scheme.

In terms of manpower, the department recruited 80 customs inspectors and 190 officers last year. The current vacancy rates for customs inspectors and officers stand at six percent and nine percent, respectively.

Ho said that there was a significant increase in applications for customs inspectors. Over 7,500 applications were received, representing a 74 percent increase. Notably, 470 applications came from local university students in their third or fourth year while 290 applications were from Hong Kong students studying in the mainland.

The Customs and Excise Department plans to continue discussing and signing cooperation arrangements with customs authorities overseas. It intends to introduce a trial run of a facilitation arrangement for cross-border express cargo clearance. The department will collaborate with mainland customs to launch the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Customs Clearance Information Platform in the first half of 2024, aimed at enhancing border clearance efficiency.

stacy.shi@singtaonewscorp.com