Hong Kong customs seizes HK$100 million haul of smuggled goods bound for Malaysia
- Senior investigator says mainland China may have been ultimate destination for goods, including mobile phones and computer components
Hong Kong customs officers have confiscated about HK$100 million (US$12.8 million) worth of smuggled goods, including mobile phones, computer components and vehicle parts, in three separate shipments destined for Malaysia.
Senior Investigator Lam Chun-hing said on Friday he did not rule out the possibility that mainland China might have been the ultimate destination as there was a demand for electronic products there.
“If the goods had successfully been smuggled into the mainland, up to HK$20 million in tariffs could have been evaded,” Lam of customs’ syndicate crimes investigation bureau said.
A 60-year-old man, a logistics company director, was arrested in connection with one of the shipments, he added.
The suspect was detained on suspicion of attempting to export unmanifested cargo, a crime punishable by up to seven years in jail and a HK$2 million fine under the Import and Export Ordinance.
Lam said they were investigating links between the three cases despite the different senders and receivers listed in the shipping documents.
He also said customs officers would seek help from their counterparts in Malaysia to investigate the consignees in that country.