KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 — X-rays that showed suspicious images in what was supposed to be a shipment of metal materials and cables led Hong Kong authorities on August 14 to seize HK$50 million (RM28 million) worth of computer and electronic products from two containers bound for Malaysia.
The discovery was made after Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department selected the containers — on its way to Port Klang on a vessel at the Kwai Chung shipping terminal — for inspection, South China Morning Post reported today.
It was the tenth smuggling case discovered by authorities in five months.
The cargo containers were opened after the X-rays showed suspicious images, said Inspector Lam Chun-hing of customs’ syndicate crimes investigation bureau, who said the contraband products were camouflaged by a layer of goods listed in the shipping documents placed near the door of the containers.
The seized contraband included new and second-hand computer and electronic products, with an estimated street value of HK$50 million and were believed to be bound for China, the ultimate destination for the two consignments, said Lam.
“We don’t rule out the possibility that criminals take indirect routes to evade customs detection. They first ship the cargo to Malaysia and then smuggle the consignments into mainland China,” Lam was quoted as saying.
So far, no arrests have been made.
A source close to the investigations revealed that customs officers are looking into potential connections between the two cases and eight other Malaysia-bound shipments, which involved contraband products valued at HK$497 million, seized between April and July.
One of the cases surfaced on July 30, when customs officers intercepted a cargo container headed to the Malaysia, containing electronic components worth HK$150 million.
