High-value Seafood Syndicate Smashed

Customs officers say they have for the first time smashed a high-value seafood smuggling syndicate. Eight men were arrested.

In an anti-smuggling operation on Wednesday, a total of 5.2 tonnes of suspected smuggled chilled fish, with an estimated market value of about HK$1 million, were seized in Sha Tau Kok.

In their operation, officers said they found three men moving chilled fish from a lorry onto a speedboat. They took action and seized the batch.

They then intercepted three lorries in the vicinity and found suspected smuggled chilled fish inside the cargo compartments of two of them.

Customs officers also searched five companies in Sha Tau Kok, Mong Kok and Kowloon Bay and took away documents.

The syndicate is said to have brought in the items from the Philippines and Indonesia and then tried to smuggle them into the mainland, to evade mainland import duty.

The eight suspects are aged between 36 and 54. They have been released on bail, pending further investigation.

Customs officers also seized six lorries and eight speedboats in their operation.