Territory-wide Operation by HK Customs Fruitful

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, August 21, 2002

Territory-wide Operation by HK Customs Fruitful

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Hong Kong customs officers would continue taking vigorous enforcement actions against illicit oil, piracy and dutiable cigarettes activities after a nine-day operation, a government spokesman said Wednesday.

The spokesman for the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department noted that during the nine-day territory-wide operation concluded Tuesday, officers smashed three illicit oil manufacturing plants in the New Territories.

They also seized 80,000 litres of illicit oil, 520,000 sticks of illicit cigarettes, 20,000 pirated optical discs, and impounded four vehicles. The total value of seizure amounted to 2.7 million HK dollars (about 337,000 US dollars).

Moreover, 142 people, aged between 15 and 68, were arrested.

Commenting on the operation, the spokesman said that the operation had reaped fruitful results and the Hong Kong customs would carry on re-deploying its manpower flexibly to launch operations of similar scale to further clamp down on the illegal activities.

The spokesman warned that the use of illicit oil is a criminal offence. Drivers concerned, once convicted, would have a criminal record and their vehicles would be forfeited.

According to the Copyright Ordinance, anyone who is found in possession of any infringing article for commercial purpose is liable to prosecution. The maximum penalty for the offence is four years' imprisonment and a fine of 50,000 HK dollars per infringing article.

Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, any person dealing with, selling or buying illicit cigarettes is liable to prosecution. The maximum penalty for the offence is a fine of one million HK dollars and two years' imprisonment, the spokesman added.

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