Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Chan Tsz-tat, held a press conference this morning (Feb. 18), summarizing the department's achievements in 2024 and outlining its goals for 2025. Deputy Commissioners, Woo Wai-kwan and Hui Kim, also attended the event.

Reflecting on last year's work, Chan noted that Hong Kong Customs actively adapted its border control strategies by embracing innovative technologies and enhancing collaboration with other customs organizations. Since July 2024, Hong Kong Customs has served as the Vice-Chairperson for the Asia/Pacific (A/P) region of the World Customs Organization (WCO), taking on a more proactive leadership role in international customs affairs.

In 2024, the total number of enforcement cases reached 31,242, representing a 63% increase from the previous year. Of these cases, 68% involved illicit cigarettes, while drug-related cases accounted for 4%, and intellectual property cases made up 3%. The total value of seized items amounted to HK$9.18 billion, with 27,877 arrests made.

Regarding drug enforcement, Chan stated that Customs cracked 1,363 drug cases last year, similar to the previous year. The quantity of drugs seized was 6.3 tons, a decrease of 33%, while arrests increased by 24% to 366 individuals. Customs also dismantled 39 major drug trafficking operations involving a market value exceeding HK$10 million, down 35% from the previous year.

On the issue of "space oil", Chan reported that Customs targeted multiple channels of distribution and successfully resolved 19 cases, seizing 23.5 kilograms of the substance and arresting 15 people. Enhanced intelligence analysis and risk management strategies have improved the selection process for cargo and passenger inspections.

Chan highlighted that since the full reopening of borders, drug trafficking groups have resumed using air passengers to transport drugs, leading to a 38% increase in drug cases at airports, totaling 113 cases and a 1.9-fold increase in the number of drugs seized.

Additionally, cases involving illicit cigarettes surged by 80% to 21,284, primarily due to significant increases in inspections at travel checkpoints. Among these, 19,072 cases were resolved with fines instead of prosecutions, a 94% increase from the previous year. Customs also maintained its record of resolving 40 large-scale smuggling cases involving cigarettes, although the quantity of seized illicit cigarettes decreased by 33%.

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