A local man and a local woman were arrested in two separate cases on Friday for attempting to smuggle 900 and 1,100 cigarettes respectively into Macao from the mainland, the Macao Customs Service said in a statement on Saturday.
According to the statement, the Macao Customs Service received a tip-off from its counterpart in Gongbei on Friday that certain people were trying to smuggle goods into Macao.
Customs officers intercepted the 52-year-old man for smuggling 900 undeclared cigarettes and the 50-year-old woman for smuggling 1,100 undeclared cigarettes by hiding the contraband in their clothes and biscuit boxes respectively. The duo have violated the External Trade Law and face a fine of MOP 5,000 to MOP 100,000 each, according to the statement.
Meanwhile, the statement pointed out that customs officers have recently found smuggled cigarettes hidden in the backpacks of schoolchildren crossing Zhuhai-Macao border checkpoints.
According to the statement, local customs officers will be paying close attention to the situation and strengthen intelligence gathering to prevent pupils from being used for illegal activities.
At the same time, the statement said, the Macao Customs Service will continue to work with the relevant local and mainland authorities to strengthen cross-border anti-smuggling operations.
The statement urged members of the public to report suspected smuggling by contacting the Macao Customs Service by phone (2896 5001), fax (2896 5003), or email i[email protected].
(The Macau Post Daily/Macau News)
PHOTO © The Macau Post Daily/Macao Customs Service
