With enhanced strategic planning and enforcement, Customs officers are able to contain the crime situation of illicit cigarette, fuel and copyright infringement activities, forcing the offenders to operate in a stealthy manner, Commissioner of Customs & Excise Timothy Tong says.

In his year-end review today, Mr Tong said the strategies adopted by Customs officers include hitting the source of the crime, crushing syndicated activities and removing the lifeblood of such syndicates by applying the Organised & Serious Crimes Ordinance to confiscate the illegal proceeds.

"Coupled with these are pro-active intelligence exchange and co-operation with local and overseas enforcement agencies, and formation of partnerships and alliances with industry players," Mr Tong said.

Achievements highlighted

Highlighting some of the major departmental achievements, Mr Tong said the total amount of duty on dutiable commodities collected by the department in 2004 was $6.54 billion, an increase of nearly 1% over that in 2003.

The department cleared a total of about 21.9 million twenty-foot equivalent units cargo containers, 14.48 million cross-boundary vehicles and 181 million passengers at all control points in Hong Kong in 2004, reflecting respective increases of 7%, 10% and 19% over those in 2003.

The department cracked and processed a total of 68,767 cases leading to the arrest of 9,829 people. This represented an increase of 11% in the number of cases and 9% in the number of arrests when compared with that in 2003.

In 2004, the department effected 49,636 cases, with the seizure of 167.6 million sticks of cigarettes and the arrest of 5,406 people. The seized illicit cigarettes were worth $252 million and the duty potential was more than $134 million. The number of cases effected and people arrested was 14% and 19% respectively higher than those in 2003.

The department seized 1.7 million litres of hydrocarbon oil with a total value of $13.27 million in 1,417 hydrocarbon oil cases. The duty potential was $5.54 million. The number of cases detected increased by 12% versus that in 2003.

On the anti-narcotics front, the department seized 11.8 kg of heroin, 4.8 kg of ketamine, 116,477 tablets of "ecstasy", 111.2 kg of cannabis, 11 kg of "ice", 13.2 kg of cocaine and 26,701 tablets of other psychotropic substance. One drug attenuating centre and 19 drug distribution centres were smashed and 700 drug offenders were arrested, of whom 98 were charged with drug trafficking offences.

Piracy activities shrinking

Piracy activities continue to shrink, Mr Tong said. The number of pirated optical discs shops has further decreased from 105 at the beginning of 2003 to about 70 at the end of 2004.