Customs officers today arrested three men, aged 23 to 35, in Sha Tin in a crackdown on cigarette smuggling. They seized a lorry containing 155 boxes filled with around 1.9 million illicit cigarettes worth about $4.7 million.

At about 1.50pm, officers saw the three men loading cartons into a lorry inside a car park on Ngau Pei Sha Street. The officers approached the men and discovered the duty-not-paid cigarette haul, with a duty potential of $3.2 million, inside the vehicle. A large number of toys were being used as camouflage.

Investigation revealed cigarette smuggling syndicates were trying to smuggle large numbers of illicit cigarettes into Hong Kong ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays.

These cigarettes were sorted and packed for quick delivery to the black market. 

People are urged to report suspected illicit cigarette activities by calling the 24-hour hotline, 2545 6182.

Those convicted of smuggling cigarettes are subject to a maximum $1 million fine and two years in prison.