Hong Kong Customs stepped up its anti–illicit cigarette campaign this week with officers conducting patrols and public education activities focused on the unintended repercussions of the illicit cigarette market, highlighting the increased penalties for illicit cigarette offences and promoting the forthcoming Duty Stamp System. The joint outreach operation teamed Customs Officers with the Sha Tin District Council, the Department of Health’s Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office, police, and the Housing Department.
Officials reiterated that public housing units linked to illicit cigarette crimes may face follow-up action from the Housing Department and warned the public—particularly young people—against buying, selling, or promoting illicit cigarettes, underscoring that violations can carry severe criminal penalties. Recent amendments raise the fixed penalty for failing to declare illicit cigarettes from HK$2,000 to HK$5,000 ($260 to $650), while the maximum punishment for duty-not-paid tobacco offences has increased to a HK$2 million ($260,000) fine and up to seven years’ imprisonment.
Customs also briefed residents and district representatives on the Duty Stamp System, following the conclusion of a three-month pilot run on January 4. Authorities plan to roll out the first phase of the system in the fourth quarter of 2026, with full implementation targeted for the second quarter of 2027, aiming to better distinguish duty-paid products and curb so-called “cheap whites.”