Hong Kong customs officers have seized HK$6 million (US$768,000) worth of smuggled goods, including fish maws and shark fins, with officers noting a surge in contraband in the run-up to Lunar New Year.
A 52-year-old woman, director of a consignor company, was also arrested following the confiscation of the goods at Kwai Chung Customhouse Cargo Examination Compound last week.
The smuggled items, which were destined for Vietnam, were detected when a container underwent an X-ray examination.
“The smugglers mixed them with normal declared goods as a cover,” said Wong Wing-yan of the syndicate crimes investigation bureau.
Wong added that about 10 per cent of the smuggled goods were skin care products, 45 per cent were dried seafood and the rest were pharmaceutical items.
“We have discovered that the confiscated shark fins and pharmaceutical products fall under regulated categories requiring permits,” she said. “This raises our suspicion that it could be the motive of smuggling.”
Up to HK$3 million could have been evaded if the goods were successfully smuggled, she added.
The customs officers said they noticed a rise in the smuggling of festive products as the Lunar New Year approached.
Wong said they also observed a shift in the smuggling pattern.
“Previously, offenders smuggled directly to mainland China using ocean vessels, now they export goods via ocean-going vessels to Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Singapore or Malaysia before finding ways to transport the items back to the mainland,” she added.
In this case, customs said that officers marked four containers, which were being prepared to be shipped to Vietnam by an ocean-going vessel, for inspection on December 27, thanks to risk assessment.
2 arrested at Hong Kong airport over dried shark fins worth HK$2.6 million
2 arrested at Hong Kong airport over dried shark fins worth HK$2.6 million
The suspect was released on bail, while customs said it did not rule out further arrests as investigations continued.
Separately, customs on Tuesday stopped a cross-boundary truck suspected of being used for smuggling as part of an operation at the Lok Ma Chau control point. A 42-year-old driver is assisting in the investigation.
About 180,000 pieces of integrated circuits, 300 pieces of mobile phone displays, 100 sets of security alarm systems and 80 closed-circuit television cameras, with an estimated market value of about HK$1.5 million, were seized.
Hong Kong customs arrests 7, seizes illegal cigarettes worth HK$100 million
Hong Kong customs arrests 7, seizes illegal cigarettes worth HK$100 million
On December 20, a cross-border smuggling case involving a tour bus was uncovered at the Shenzhen Bay control point. Officers seized 150kg (331lbs) of bird nests and 710 boxes of suspected pharmaceuticals, valued at HK$7.8 million.
Customs warned importing or exporting unmanifested cargo was a serious offence under the Import and Export Ordinance punishable by seven years in prison and a maximum fine of HK$2 million.