Customs officers today extinguished an illicit cigarette syndicate in the New Territories and arrested nine people.

They seized about $7.5 million worth of illicit cigarettes after officers found them being loaded onto two lorries in Tai Po Industrial Estate this afternoon.

In two separate developments, a large quantity of illicit cigarettes was also seized in Tong Yan San Tsuen, Yuen Long, and Fu Shin Estate, Tai Po. The 5 million sticks of illicit cigarettes seized had a duty potential of about $4 million.