Hong Kong arrests 9 over fuel smuggling

Hong Kong authorities arrested nine people in a city-wide operation targeting illicit fuel activities, as high oil prices increased incentives for illegal fuel sales, officials said Wednesday.

Authorities said they seized more than 30,000 litres of smuggled fuel worth more than HK$1 million, or US$127,000, in September. The arrests involved eight men and one woman.

Chong Sin-han, a senior investigator at the customs department, said criminals were using modified cross-boundary trucks or private cars with enlarged fuel tanks to smuggle fuel through control points.

"Fuel prices remain persistently high, tempting illegal traders to sell more untaxed gasoline for profit and tempting citizens to take risks by purchasing it," Chong said.

Leung Nam-cheuk, a fire officer with the anti-illicit fuelling activities task force, said authorities seized vehicles that were unventilated, increasing the risk of fire or explosion.

Hong Kong imports all its automotive fuel and has no refineries of its own. Authorities said the retail price of standard petrol reached about HK$34.60 per litre this week, up 16.6 percent since late February.

As of September, Hong Kong customs officials had arrested at least 84 people suspected of illegal fuel dealings this year and seized 95,000 litres of fuel.