Woman Convicted and Jailed for Importing About $301,000 Worth of Duty-Not-Paid Cigars at Airport

[El Presidente]

Hong Kong

Woman Convicted and Jailed for Importing About $301,000 Worth of Duty-Not-Paid Cigars at Airport

2026-07-14 16:40

 

incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigars

An incoming female passenger was sentenced to two months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (July 14) for importing duty-not-paid cigarsand failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Customs officers intercepted a 37-year-old incoming Mainland female passenger who arrived in Hong Kong from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, via Doha, Qatar, at Hong Kong International Airport on June 22, and seized about 8.8 kilograms of duty-not-paid cigars, with an estimated market value of about $301,000 and a duty potential of about $37,700 from her personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.

Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigars are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigars commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

 

[Bellert98]

At some point  it's not "personal use"  anymore and everybody knows it.

[gillmiller]

Maybe it was personal?

[tbelle7]

20 hours ago, El Presidente said:

with an estimated market value of about $301,000

Seems a bit high.

[Ford2112]

That picture is it? That's like 2 months worth.  Small 🥔 potatoes.

[Chitmo]

12 hours ago, Bellert98 said:

At some point  it's not "personal use"  anymore and everybody knows it.

I dunno, my wife has thought I was retailer with a few of the collections I’ve bought up.

[Chibearsv]

9 hours ago, Ford2112 said:

That picture is it? Thats like 2 months worth

I wonder how they came up with $300K in cigar value too? Looks to be around 1000 sticks (I may be generous on the count) and they’re not all Behike. 

[GP012]

7 hours ago, Chibearsv said:

I wonder how they came up with $300K in cigar value too? Looks to be around 1000 sticks (I may be generous on the count) and they’re not all Behike.  

Assuming the Hong Kong government link below is the source, it's likely 301,000 HKD which is ~38,000 USD.

https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202607/14/P2026071400494.htm

[Marco_011t556]

Nice Trinidad book!