Under-18 student involvement in smuggling rises slightly

The first four months of this year saw customs prosecute 68 cases of illegal cross-border smuggling totaling MOP 4.73 million, along with a slight increase in the participation of students under the age of 18.

The Macao Customs Service (SA) reported yesterday that during 30 special anti-smuggling operations conducted between January and April of this year, authorities uncovered 62 violations, prosecuted 68 individuals, and seized contraband including cold-chain food, silver granules, cosmetics, electronic products, cigarettes, and spirits – with the total value of the seized goods amounting to approximately MOP 4.73 million.

Additionally, authorities have intercepted a cumulative total of 1,309 smuggling-related cases at border checkpoints.

Authorities have noted that students under the age of 18 have been involved in smuggling activities in Macau, with 40 such cases detected between January and April of this year.

A Customs official pointed out that smuggling and illegal cross-border shopping remain rampant in Macau’s northern district, attributing the problem primarily to misconceptions and the district’s proximity to the border, where frequent and dense foot traffic poses significant challenges for daily supervision and enforcement.

“The notion that ‘a little smuggling is harmless’ is a fallacy,” authorities cautioned. The pursuit of quick profits – driven by some families’ greed for small gains and weak legal awareness – not only violates the law but also has a profound negative impact on the values instilled in the next generation.

As noted, the number of students under 18 caught participating in cross-border smuggling activities has increased slightly compared to last year. Customs authorities said they have activated an interdepartmental mechanism to protect youth development and report such cases to the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), while urging young people to strengthen their legal awareness and refrain from engaging in illegal activities out of momentary greed.

Authorities also emphasized that they have focused on key nodes at the Inner Harbor, conducting “strict inspections” of cargo channels, which uncovered 26 smuggling cases in the first four months of this year, with the total value of goods involved amounting to approximately MOP21 million.

Authorities have also recently begun piloting the use of “AI smart glasses” to assist frontline personnel at border checkpoints in their law enforcement duties, aiming to improve enforcement accuracy and reduce response times. Currently, they are also exploring the feasibility of integrating the AI smart glasses with the “Passenger Screening Assistance System,” with a final decision on formal adoption to be based on the technology’s actual performance.