China News Service, Hong Kong, December 18th. Hong Kong Customs announced on the 18th that the Customs recently seized about 12 million suspected illicit cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about 34 million Hong Kong dollars and a taxable value of about 23 million Hong Kong dollars.
Hong Kong Customs stated that along with the suspected illicit cigarettes seized in this case, the Customs has seized more than 204 million suspected illicit cigarettes so far this year, which is more than the number of single-year seizures in any year in the past 20 years.
On the 17th, customs officers seized the suspected illicit cigarettes in a unit and unloading area of an industrial and commercial building in Kwun Tong. They arrested 11 suspected men aged between 20 and 55 and detained a container suspected to be involved in the case.
The Customs believes that this operation has smashed a suspected illicit cigarette storage warehouse and will further investigate the source and whereabouts of illicit cigarettes. It does not rule out that more people are arrested.
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