Hong Kong Customs officers dismantled two illicit cigarette storage and distribution centers on Sunday, arresting two foreign domestic helpers and seizing approximately 200,000 suspected contraband cigarettes valued at nearly $900,000.
The operation in Sheung Shui targeted two women, ages 40 and 48, who allegedly used their employers’ public housing units as strategic storage locations for smuggled cigarettes.
Customs officers initially intercepted the suspects in Choi Yuen Estate carrying suspicious nylon bags, discovering around 90,000 illicit cigarettes. subsequent searches of their employers’ residences revealed an additional 110,000 cigarettes.
Investigators believe the domestic helpers systematically collected cigarettes in small quantities to avoid detection, strategically distributing their illegal inventory during early morning hours on holidays.
“This operation demonstrates our commitment to disrupting illegal tobacco distribution networks,” a Customs spokesperson said.
Under Hong Kong’s Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, individuals involved in illicit cigarette trade face severe penalties, including potential fines up to $1 million and two years imprisonment.
Customs officials emphasized they will continue investigating the smuggling operation’s source and distribution channels, indicating more arrests are possible.
