Hong Kong Customs on Thursday detected the largest smuggled goods consignment on record worth USD 26.9 million.
The Customs said it seized a batch of suspected smuggled goods with an estimated market value of about 210 million Hong Kong dollars (about USD 26.9 million), including high-value goods, expensive food ingredients and endangered species, reported Xinhua.
They had detected a suspected speedboat smuggling case last month and targeted an organized smuggling syndicate active in Lung Kwu Tan since June this year and conducted a joint enforcement operation with the Marine Police's Small Boat Division on September 23.
Customs officers and Marine Police officers spotted several suspicious men moving cartons from a lorry to a speedboat at a seashore in Lung Kwu Tan. The officers then took action and those men immediately jumped onto the speedboat and fled, reported Xinhua.
Customs officers seized a lorry suspected to be connected with the case at the scene. After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers raided a storehouse in the vicinity and further seized three lorries suspected to be connected with the case and a large batch of suspected smuggled goods.
During the operation, a 34-year-old man and four lorries suspected to be in connection with the case were arrested and detained respectively.
An investigation is ongoing. The arrested man has been released on bail pending further investigation, and further arrests are not ruled out.
( With inputs from ANI )
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