Hong Kong cigarette seizures hit record high in 2022
According to reports, Hong Kong Customs seized 730 million illicit cigarettes in 2022, up 76% from 2021 and the highest annual figure in more than two decades. Last year, authorities handled 7,148 cases, including 3,436 involving smuggled cigarettes and 9
According to reports, Hong Kong Customs seized 730 million illicit cigarettes in 2022, a 76% increase from 2021, marking the highest annual figure in over twenty years.
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Last year, the police handled 7,148 cases, of which 3,436 involved smuggled cigarettes and 931 involved smuggled drugs.<\/span><\/div>
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According to the Commissioner of Customs, Hermes Choi, the illicit cigarettes confiscated in 2022 had a market value of HKD 2.01 billion (USD 256.07 million), with a taxable value of about HKD 1.4 billion.<\/span><\/div>
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Customs officials attributed the surge in illegal cigarettes to rising tobacco prices caused by inflation.<\/span><\/div>
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Choi added that after the Covid-19 pandemic, several countries relaxed immigration measures, leading to an increase in seizures, and noted that Customs will recruit 90 inspectors and 170 officers to strengthen the city's enforcement capabilities.<\/span><\/div>
