The Macau Customs Service announced in a statement on Sunday night that its officers seized 5.2 kilogrammes of cigars and 100 kilogrammes of fruit within three days.
According to the statement, customs officers at the Barrier Gate intercepted on November 9 a cross-border vehicle in the inbound lane based on an alert from the crossborder “Risk Management System.” An inspection revealed 100 kg of uninspected fruit being smuggled into Macau.
Meanwhile, last Tuesday, customs officers at the Barrier Gate outbound passenger inspection hall noticed a female visitor behaving suspiciously.
Upon inspection, the woman was found to have concealed 5.2 kg of cigars inside her personal belongings.
According to Macau’s External Trade Law, both smugglers face a maximum fine of 100,000 patacas, while the seized contraband has been confiscated. The case involving the fruit smuggler has been transferred to the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) for further investigation and disposal of the fruit.
Customs seizes 78,120 cigs, 3 vapes, 205,432 cartridges
The Macau Customs Service announced in a statement on Thursday that its officers busted 11 smuggling cases within two days last week, seized 70,000 cigarettes, three vapes and 205,432 cartridges containing “vape juice”.
According to the statement, based on intelligence, customs officers conducted inspections in the inbound passenger inspection area of the local airport targeting individuals arriving on the same flight from Japan. They discovered that seven of the passengers tried to smuggle a total of 140,000 e-cigarette cartridges containing “vape juice”, hidden in their hand luggage, into Macau.
Last Tuesday, customs officers at the airport’s inbound passenger inspection area screened arrivals from the same flight from Japan. The inspection revealed that four passengers had concealed a total of 65,432 e-cigarette cartridges and three vapes in their hand luggage. Additionally, three of these individuals were also found to be carrying a combined total of 78,120 cigarettes in their luggage, trying to smuggle them into Macau.
According to the statement, the 11 smugglers comprise mainland Chinese and foreign nationals, aged between 24 and 56. In accordance with the Tobacco Control Law, the Customs Service has referred the case to the Health Bureau (SSM) for follow-up action. Three of the individuals are additionally being prosecuted for violating the External Trade Law. The cigarette-smuggling trio each face a maximum fine of 100,000 patacas, while the seized contraband has been confiscated.
This handout photo shows the 100 kg of uninspected fruit seized from a smuggler’s vehicle at the Barrier Gate on November 9. - Photos: Macau Customs Service
This handout photo shows cigarettes and e-cigarette cartridges seized by Macau Customs Service officers from passengers arriving from Japan at the Macau International Airport last Tuesday.
