Illicit cigarette warehouse in Sai Kung raided by Customs; $3 million in illegal cigarettes seized

_{Some of the illicit cigarettes seized by Customs Officers in Sai Kung Photo: HK Customs}

Customs conducted an anti-illicit cigarette operation in Sai Kung yesterday (11/12), smashing a illicit cigarette storage warehouse housed in a metal building, intercepting an illicit cigarette distribution vehicle, and arresting a 63-year-old male driver who was transporting the cigarettes. During the operation, Customs seized approximately 650,000 suspected illicit cigarettes with a market value of nearly HK$3 million.

At about 1:00 pm, customs officers inspected the Sai Kung area and found the van diver acting suspiciously. He was holding a cardboard box and walking from what they suspected to be an illicit storage facility to the vehicle. Customs officers immediately stepped forward to conduct an inspection and found a batch of suspected illicit cigarettes in the cardboard box. Customs officers arrested the man and later seized about 30,000 suspected illicit cigarettes in the vehicle.

Customs officers then escorted the man to the suspect storage facility for a more thorough search and found about 20,000 suspected illicit cigarettes in the metal structure. A total of about 650,000 suspected illicit cigarettes were seized in the case.

_{Customs officers escort the van driver from the scene in Sai Kung}

Preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle was used to distribute illicit cigarettes, while the metal unit was used as a storage warehouse for illicit cigarettes. It is believed that the arrested man was responsible for picking up illicit cigarettes outside the storage facility and delivering them to Kwun Tong District.

He was estimated to be distributing illicit cigarettes from the storage facility for several months and that it involved a variety of brands of illicit cigarettes to meet the needs of different illicit smokers.

In addition, criminal groups also try to store illegal cigarettes under the cover of being located in sparsely populated remote areas, intending to make it more difficult for customs officers to enforce the law. Customs believes that this operation has destroyed an illicit cigarette distribution vehicle and an illicit cigarette storage and distribution centre for the Kwun Tong District.

The case is still under investigation and customs will continue to trace the source of the batch of illicit cigarettes. More arrests cannot be ruled out.