Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products (with photo)

An incoming female passenger was sentenced to seven months' imprisonment by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (October 20) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) and the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO). Customs officers intercepted a 42-year-old incoming Mainland female passenger arriving in Hong Kong from Tokyo, Japan, via Taipei, at Hong Kong International Airport on August 16 and seized 61 200 duty-not-paid cigarettes and 7 600 alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $298,000 and a duty potential of about $202,000, from her personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested. Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years. Under the

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