Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Customs raids three suspected illicit cigarette sales outlets
According to the amended Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO), cigarettes sold at a price lower than the tobacco duty must be proven to be duty-paid, otherwise the cigarettes are presumed to be duty-not-paid. After the amended DCO took effect, Customs has also strengthened enforcement actions to combat illegal cigarette sales outlets, and has been closely monitoring the market situation and stepping up patrols in various districts.
Noting that there were still cigarette sales outlets selling cigarettes at a price lower than the tobacco duty, Customs officers took enforcement actions today and seized about 3 800 suspected illicit cigarettes in the abovementioned newsstands and store. Two women and one man, comprising two newsstand owners and one employee, aged between 52 and 65 were arrested.
Customs appeals to retailers not to sell cigarettes of unknown sources. They must stay vigilant against cigarettes with a wholesale price lower than the tobacco duty in order to avoid criminal liability. ???
Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 19:00
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