Hong Kong customs makes biggest sea smuggling bust of year so far, seizing HK$160 million of contraband bound for mainland China

Hong Kong customs has made its biggest maritime smuggling bust of the year so far, seizing HK$160 million (US$20.38 million) worth of high-value electronic products destined for mainland China.

A 69-year-old woman, a company proprietor, was arrested on April 22, a day after the customs officers seized the contraband containing high-value assorted electronic products, musical instrument accessories and audio equipment with a taxation value of HK$90 million.

Nelson Wong, divisional commander of the Customs and Excise Department’s ports and maritime command, said customs officers intercepted a river trade vessel in the western waters of Hong Kong, which was bound for a Guangzhou port on April 21.

The vessel contained 55 containers, of which three were listed as 40 tonnes of low-value liquid-crystal glass plates and display panels.

“We had suspicions about this vessel’s operation model and the goods consignor’s background, so we sent the vessel back to Tuen Mun’s River Trade Terminal for further investigation,” he said.

Wong Ching-fu, divisional commander of the department’s syndicate crimes investigation bureau, said that upon checking the three containers with an X-ray scanner, they discovered the undeclared electronic goods covered by the cheap liquid-crystal glass plates and display panels.

“The three containers were shipped by a company and we eventually arrested its 69-year-old proprietor. We don’t rule out arresting more people,” he said.

Cheng Tak-hei, group head of the department’s syndicate crimes investigation bureau, said the contraband contained computer parts such as central processing units, high-value audio equipment including stereo systems and a gold-plated gramophone worth HK$300,000, and musical instrument accessories.