Smoked out: Deputy Head of the Customs Revenue & General Investigation Bureau David Fong explains the operation.

Fifty-two people have been arrested for buying illicit cigarettes in a five-day operation completed today.

Customs officers cracked 74 illicit-cigarette cases and neutralised a storage centre in Tsuen Wan during the operation.

Altogether, officers arrested 104 people and seized 330,000 sticks of illicit cigarettes worth $500,000 with a duty potential of $270,000.

Of those arrested, 46 men and six women aged 19 to 76 were buyers, while 13 men and 39 women aged 19 to 65 were sellers.

Last year officers arrested 124 buyers and 2,486 sellers in 4,393 street-level illicit cigarette cases.

Buyers just as liable as sellers 

Deputy Head of the Customs Revenue & General Investigation Bureau David Fong said buyers, just like sellers, are liable to prosecution under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance. The maximum penalty is a fine of $1 million and two years' prison.

Mr Fong said the Customs & Excise Department aimed to remove the lifeblood of the illicit transactions of duty-not-paid cigarettes by swooping on illicit cigarette black spots and arresting people who bought illicit cigarettes.

"Customs officers will continue to take rigorous enforcement action against illicit cigarette activities at different levels, including retailing, distribution and storage," he said.

To report suspected illicit cigarette activities call the 24-hour customs hotline 2545 6182.