Hong Kong customs officers have seized more than 6 million suspected illicit cigarettes and heated tobacco products worth over HK$29 million (US$3.7 million) in two separate operations, involving brands rarely seen in the city and mainland Chinese tourists bringing in goods from Japan.
Customs said on Friday that two men were arrested in the operations, including a 44-year-old local truck driver who was detained in Yuen Long the previous day.
Around 6 million suspected illicit cigarettes were found in the truck and a warehouse.
Customs said the confiscated cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about HK$28 million and a duty potential of around HK$19 million, were from a brand that was relatively unpopular in Hong Kong and nearby locations.
