HK seizes luxury goods worth record US$154m
Print Edition
Hong Kong customs has made a record seizure of luxury goods that were headed to China鈥檚 mainland on a river barge in the latest operation to target an explosion of cross-border smuggling.
The haul included an array of highly sought-after items such as watches, handbags, cosmetics and fins from endangered marine species.
Officials said the goods were worth about HK$1.2 billion (US$154 million).
That makes it by far the largest seizure made by the city鈥檚 customs agents.
The operation took place on October 14. Customs discovered what they said was a suspicious vessel that claimed to be transporting plastic pellets.
Instead officers discovered a veritable department store of luxury items.
A 39-year-old woman and a 56-year-old man have been arrested in connection with the case.
Smuggling has been a mainstay of the triad organized crime gangs operating on both sides of the border for year.
But the phenomenon has surged during the coronavirus pandemic.
Police embarked on a crackdown after a marine officer was killed last month when her vessel was rammed by smugglers during a high-speed chase.
Customs investigators said syndicates have since turned to using other means, including river trade vessels, to smuggle goods to the Chinese mainland.
Simple economics makes the trade hugely lucrative.
Hong Kong has no sales tax, making it one of the cheapest places in the world to buy luxury goods.
But over in the mainland, taxes often mean luxury items cost up to double the price, providing a powerful smuggling incentive.
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