Customs officers have arrested 47 people and seized 680,000 illicit cigarettes worth $1.09 million in a five-day Hong Kong-wide operation mounted at 21 blackspots. The arrested were aged 20 to 68.

Two illicit cigarette storage centres in Sham Shui Po and Mong Kok were shut down with 200,000 illicit cigarettes worth $300,000 seized. Five women and a man, aged 20 to 39, were arrested.

Officers also targeted several suspect vehicles. They seized 340,000 illicit cigarettes worth $540,000 from a van intercepted in Sung Chi Street, Hung Hom. Two men, 26 and 29, were arrested.