New smuggling operation proves easy case to crack

Contraband cigarettes from the mainland have been found hidden in fake electric water heaters that look just like the real thing - complete with built-in electric socket, power switch and an energy-efficiency label stuck on the casing.

Only the plastic casing gave the game away; they are usually made out of metal.

The new smuggling technique was uncovered by customs during a raid in Kwun Tong.

"It comes in a white, metre-tall shell. From its appearance, it looks like a real electric water heater," said Walter Mak Hoi-wan, head of the Customs and Excise Department's revenue and general investigation bureau.

"But the shell is made of plastic and is empty inside. It's just a plastic container."

Each container was used to hold 70 packs of cigarettes, Mak said.

The discovery was made on Monday, when officers raided an industrial unit that was used as a repackaging and distribution centre for illicit cigarettes.