With the success of a clampdown on pirated discs over the past decade, a 178-strong Customs Department team has shifted its target to cross-border smuggling.
Contraband worth about HK$76 million has been confiscated by the special taskforce in 42 operations on land and sea since April, when the team started concentrating on illegal logistics services between Hong Kong and the mainland.
All the seizures, including animal furs, seafood, computer hard disks and untaxed diesel, were intended for the mainland. Such goods are subject to import restrictions and hefty mainland tariffs, including a 17 per cent value-added tax.
A government official believes underworld shippers and smuggling syndicates suffered heavy losses when their goods were seized.
'Intelligence shows that smuggling syndicates have to pay compensation of HK$1,000 for each carton of smuggled goods,' the officer said. 'We believe they may have lain low for a short period and come back again. It's just like a cat-and-mouse game.'
A senior police officer involved in anti-smuggling operations said smugglers had reacted to the crackdowns by moving their loading base north from Sai Kung to Sha Tau Kok, from where their speedboats can reach the mainland in five minutes.