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Customs officers of Man Kam To Control Point today (March 27) seized from an incoming medium goods vehicle 2,450 kilograms of unmanifested chilled pork and beef, game, poultry, seafood and vegetables, and 5,200 sticks of dutiable cigarettes, worth a total of about $75,000, in a joint operation with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD).
Shortly before 8am, Customs officers of Man Kam To Control Point intercepted an incoming medium goods vehicle, which had arrived from Shenzhen declared to be carrying meat balls, fish balls and pork dumplings. After examination, the officers found from the cargo compartment 2,450 kilograms of smuggled chilled pork and beef, game, poultry, seafood and vegetables, worth about $67,300, and 5,200 sticks of dutiable cigarettes, valued at about $7,800 and with duty potential of $4,200.
A 51-year-old male driver was arrested. He will later be charged with "importing unmanifested cargo" under the Import and Export Ordinance and "importing game, meat or poultry without an official certificate" under Import Game, Meat and Poultry Regulations.
The seized meat, game, poultry, seafood and vegetables will be handed over to the FEHD for follow-up action.
Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person importing unmanifested cargo, or importing prohibited articles (eg, frozen or chilled meat, poultry or bird) not under and not in accordance with an import licence, is an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for two years, or on conviction on indictment to a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Under the Imported Game, Meat and Poultry Regulations of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, it is an offence to bring into Hong Kong any meat and poultry without an official certificate. The maximum penalty is a fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment.
Any person found guilty of "importing goods to which Dutiable Commodities Ordinance applies" is liable on conviction to a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
Ends/Monday, March 27, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:36
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