Exporter fined $1.2 million
An exporter cum manufacturer, Pac Fung Feather Company Limited, was fined $1,200,000 today (Tuesday) by magistrate, Mr Ernest Lim, after pleading guilty to 20 counts of causing to be furnished false information regarding the names of exporter and manufacturer in export licence application.
The three accomplices - an export firm Alltex Industrial Company Limited and the proprietor and manager of Hop Lee Garment Factory, Lee Sum and Li Kwong - were also fined $300,000, $50,000 and $70,000 respectively for furnishing false information as exporter and manufacturer in 20 export licence applications.
Kwun Tong Magistracy heard an investigation by officers of the Customs and Excise Department revealed that in April 1994, Pac Fung received a bulk order for the supply of cotton woven comforter shells to its buyer in the USA.
The goods were scheduled for export against free quotas in the second half of the year 1994. However, at the material time, Pac Fung was debarred from participation in the Free Quota Scheme as a result of its failure to utilise 95 per cent of the free quotas allocated in the preceding Scheme.
In order to effect shipments as scheduled, it procured Alltex Industrial Company Limited, Lee and Li of Hop Lee to participate in the Free Quota Scheme by falsely declaring themselves respectively as exporter and manufacturer in 20 export licence applications.
With the assistance rendered by the three accomplices, Pac Fung obtained 20 export licence issued against free quota to cover the export of its manufacture of a total of 81,560 cotton woven comforter shells worth $12.14 million to the USA between July and September 1994.
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