Customs to fast-track shipping of fresh produce
Hong Kong Customs on Wednesday announced plans to introduce a designated air-land fresh produce express route to facilitate the trade of high-quality food products between the Chinese mainland and overseas markets.
The initiative, expected to be operational by the second quarter, is designed to enhance cargo efficiency and streamline the transshipment process to and from key mainland destinations, including the cities within the GuangdongHong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and prolific fresh product regions such as Hunan, Jiangxi, Henan, and Sichuan provinces.
During a work-review news conference, Louise Ho Pui-shan, commissioner of Hong Kong Customs and Excise, highlighted the crossborder cooperation and the use of technology in expediting customs clearance.
The forthcoming express route will make use of the Hong Kong International Airport and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, in collaboration with the Zhuhai government.
This collaboration is also expected to promote logistics and freight transportation in the western GBA while generating more business opportunities and spurring local economic development.
On Feb 23, the nation’s General Administration of Customs approved the establishment of designated regulatory sites for imported fruits, frozen aquatic products, and edible aquatic animals at the Zhuhai port of the HZM Bridge. The Zhuhai government has pledged to complete the necessary infrastructure by May.
Additionally, a Three-PlacesOne-Lock Scheme was launched on March 8, allowing real-time monitoring of cargos by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao Customs through e-locks and GPS technology, eliminating the need for duplicate inspections.
A similar Single E-lock Scheme between Guangdong and Hong Kong has been operational since 2016 and was expanded to include Hunan province in June. Ho said the program will be further expanded to Jiangxi, Henan, and Sichuan provinces in the future.
Enhancing law enforcement
While reviewing their law enforcement actions, Ho pointed to a substantial increase in complaints about malpractice in drugstore sales and drug trafficking cases, following the city’s resumption of normal travel with the outside world.
The department handled 535 cases concerning unclearly priced unit labels on ginseng, dried seafood, and Chinese herbal medicines, with 84 percent of the complaints coming from mainland visitors.
A designated team, which was set up to address such reports from short-stay visitors, handled 201 complaints and arrested eight drugstore clerks last year.
Proactive measures have been taken to raise awareness among mainland tourists about the malpractice cases, and to promote regulatory compliance, including joint inspections with the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
In 2023, the department prosecuted 19,120 law enforcement cases — a 170-percent surge from the previous year. The value of seized goods saw a 48 percent jump, amounting to HK$10.57 billion ($1.35 billion), and 15,589 arrests were made — an increase of 250 percent compared with 2022.
The number of drug-related cases grew by 46 percent year-on-year to 1,362, with about 9.5 metric tons of drugs seized, representing a 37-percent increase over 2022. Seven cases involved drugs worth over HK$100 million.
In 2023, the city recorded 221 smuggling cases, slightly fewer than in 2022. However, the involved monetary value soared by 140 percent and reached HK$3.17 billion.