Hong Kong authorities recorded a 36 per cent increase in illicit cigarette busts last year, seizing HK$2.7 billion (US$345.4 million) worth of goods, as the customs chief warned of a new tactic of children being used to smuggle tobacco across the border. At a press conference on Thursday to review its work in 2025, the Customs and Excise Department reported that the number of illicit cigarette cases rose to 29,037 – a 36 per cent increase from 21,283 the previous year – despite higher duties and...