In 2020, Hong Kong's maritime smuggling cases increased by 20% compared to the previous year, and the story behind this is far more shocking than the numbers. The cheap electronics and ingredients you may see in the market on a daily basis may be smuggled "defective products". What's even more chilling is that some foods have even been refrigerated for years and become so-called "zombie meat". Behind all this, there is a group of people who defend our safety and health at all costs, even with their lives.
In Hong Kong, a place known as an international trade and seaport city, smuggling activities have never stopped. In particular, from 2019 to 2020, there was a surge in smuggling cases, involving not only ordinary consumer goods, but also large amounts of e-waste and non-compliant ingredients. These smuggled items often enter the market at low prices, to the detriment of unsuspecting consumers.
On 2 November 2020, Hong Kong Customs seized over 500 kilograms of methamphetamine in Tsing Yi, making it the largest methamphetamine trafficking case in history. And on September 25, 2021, an even more shocking event happened. Lim Yuen-yee, a female senior inspector known as the "smuggling nemesis", was violently attacked in the line of duty and eventually died. While patrolling the waters of the sandbank, she and her colleagues spotted suspected smuggling activity. When they tried to approach the suspicious vessel to investigate, the criminals drove a high-speed speedboat into their dinghy.
After the incident, the dinghy instantly overturned on its side, and the marine police on board fell into the water one after another. Although the other three marine police officers were eventually rescued, Lin Yuenyi unfortunately disappeared. After two days of intense searching, her body was finally found in the Erao area. The incident caused a huge shock in the community, and the police in Guangdong Province and Hong Kong responded quickly and launched a series of joint operations.
Dubbed the "9.25" case, it was not just a tragedy, but a wake-up call. It has sparked closer cooperation between the police in Guangdong and Hong Kong to crack down on cross-border smuggling. From October 1 to 7, 2021, the Guangdong Provincial Public Security, Coast Guard and other relevant departments jointly launched the "Qingwan Operation", which was a large-scale anti-smuggling operation. In this operation, not only the suspects involved in the Lin Wanyi case were arrested, but also a number of smuggling cases were also seized.
The audacity of these smugglers is not only a defiance of the law, but also a challenge to the safety of ordinary people's lives. They use a variety of covert methods to smuggle illegal goods from one place to another in order to evade taxes and inspections. This behavior not only harms the country's revenue, but more importantly, it poses a direct threat to people's health and safety. Those smuggled electronic products can be of inferior quality, prone to malfunction and even cause fires, and those foods may harbor various germs and chemicals, which can lead to serious health problems if consumed for a long time.
For ordinary people, this invisible war is going on every day, and we may not know it. Customs and Marine Police are the frontline fighters in this war. Not only do they have to confront the cunning and violence of criminals, but they also have to face the harsh environment at sea and all kinds of unpredictable risks. Lin Wanyi is such a hero, and her sacrifice is a heavy price in the long-term battle against smuggling crime.
The battle is far from over. With the continuous growth of international trade and the continuous advancement of technology, the means of smuggling are constantly being renovated. From high-speed speedboats to complex communication systems, criminals are always looking for new ways to evade the crackdown. In this regard, the police are also constantly upgrading their equipment and strategies in an effort to stay ahead of the seemingly never-ending race.
Concern about this crime is also increasing. People are beginning to realize that behind every "bargain" transaction, there may be illegal and unethical facts. Extensive media coverage, increased public education, and strict enforcement of the law are all weapons in our common fight against smuggling crimes.