Customs officers said on Friday they’re continuing to cut off smugglers' attempts to transport illicit goods to Hong Kong by sea, a method that has become increasingly popular with many land routes cut off during the pandemic.

Officers said they busted an attempt to bring illicit cigarettes worth around HK$100 million into the SAR on Tuesday last week after finding the goods onboard a ship off the Yau Ma Tei Anchorage.

"As the land ports of entry are not fully reopened yet, most goods are shipped to Hong Kong by sea. Smugglers also followed the logistics trend, and tried to ship the illicit goods to Hong Kong by sea," senior inspector Tang Ka-chun said.

Yip Lap-man, a senior revenue investigator, said he believes some of the illicit cigarettes were bound for other places, adding that if legally imported, the contraband products would have generated HK$69 million in tax.

Two men, aged 43 and 56, were arrested in the operation.