Hong Kong Customs seizes over 600m illicit cigarettes in first three quarters
Hong Kong Customs seized over 600 million illicit cigarettes in the first nine months of 2026, similar to the 2025 annual total. More than 200 million were in transit. Commissioner Chan Tze-tat addressed criticism over low prosecution rates, noting most cases involved travellers with undeclared ciga
Hong Kong Customs Commissioner Chan Tze-tat said on 24 October that the department seized more than 600 million illicit cigarettes in the first three quarters of 2026, roughly the same as the total for the whole of last year. Of these, more than 200 million were not destined for Hong Kong but were being transhipped to other regions.
Responding to criticism that the prosecution rate for cigarette smuggling cases is low, Chan said the criticism reflected a misunderstanding. He said Customs had detected more than 18,000 cigarette-related cases this year. Of those, more than 16,000 involved travellers who failed to declare bringing more than 19 cigarettes into Hong Kong. These cases were handled by on-the-spot fines, which he described as “prosecution with a price”.
Chan stressed that the approach was intended to reduce the workload of frontline officers and avoid the heavy social costs of court proceedings. He insisted it had nothing to do with lax enforcement or whether the Department of Justice was lenient in deciding whether to prosecute.
Customs will prosecute in full all cases involving illicit cigarette warehouses uncovered in the community or travellers caught smuggling large quantities of cigarettes in multiple suitcases, Chan said. He added that the courts treat such cases seriously, typically imposing several months’ imprisonment. He said this sends a clear message to criminals not to smuggle cigarettes.