Resident fined MOP5,000 for tobacco smuggling

A Macau resident has been discovered by the Customs Service (SA) carrying an amount of cigarettes far exceeding the legal allowance into the territory. On September 17, the man was intercepted at the Gongbei Border in possession of six packages totaling 1,200 cigarettes.
The merchandise was immediately confiscated and the Service penalized the resident with an accessory fine of MOP5,000.
The person claimed that the goods were for personal use, and that they had been purchased in duty free shops in Gongbei. The man said he was unaware that the importation of the cigarettes in question was subject to restrictions and import licenses.
According to the SA investigation, the goods seized and found were likely destined to be sold in Macau with a profit margin of 30 percent. Dissatisfied with the decision of the SA, the resident appealed, claiming to be unemployed and receiving only a monthly subsidy from the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) of MOP1,500.
The case reached its final stage with the Administrative Court (TA) rejecting the claims from the applicant and upholding the decision of the SA director.
The court noted that it considered the initial decision to be appropriate and reasonable, as the customs authorities had, in fact, only applied the minimum legal penalty.
The TA also remarked that the amount of cigarettes considered to be reasonable for personal use is 200. The amount the individual was carrying largely exceeded this limit.  RM