Customs officers and the Fire Services Department seized about 370 litres of petrol on which duty had not been paid during an operation against illegal fuel activities in Tuen Mun on 19 August. The operation uncovered a suspected mobile illegal filling station in the Lung Kwu Tan Road area.
Officers found a seven-seater vehicle parked by the roadside near residential premises. A petrol storage tank and filling equipment were inside. The vehicle, petrol and equipment were seized for further investigation.
The petrol was reported to have a market value of about HK$12,000 and a dutiable value of about HK$2,200.
Customs will investigate the source of the private car, untaxed petrol and filling equipment, and handle the case and possible forfeiture of the seized items under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, Chapter 109.
The case remained under investigation when the reports were published on 21 August. The authorities did not rule out arrests at a later stage, but no arrest had been confirmed. It was also not clear whether prosecutions would follow or how the seized items would ultimately be dealt with.