A 34-year-old male from Macau was arrested by the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) at the Hong Kong Port (checkpoint) of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HKZMB) on Friday on suspicion of smuggling gold weighing about 20 kilograms in total, with an estimated market value of about HK$10 million, according to a C&ED statement on Friday.
According to the statement, C&ED officers intercepted an outbound seven-seater at the checkpoint on Thursday for inspection, and upon an X-ray examination, the officers found the glove compartment in front of the passenger seat suspicious.
After removing the glove compartment, four packages of gold were found, each package containing five bars, wrapped in tape, weighed a total of 20 kilograms with a market value of about HK$10 million, according to the statement.
The department said it could not rule out that due to the rising price of gold on the mainland, offenders might try to smuggle gold to the mainland for resale there to make a profit.
The suspect was charged with one count of attempting to export undeclared goods. He appeared in Kowloon City Magistracy on Saturday, according the Hong Kong media exports.
Friday’s C&ED statement said that the department will continue to investigate the source of the gold, its ownership and whether money laundering was involved.
This undated handout photo provided by the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) on Thursday shows 20 bars of suspected contraband gold seized by C&ED officers at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Hong Kong Port (checkpoint).
