Terrex incident: HK charges shipping firm, captain

SINGAPORE — Hong Kong Customs has started prosecution proceedings against shipping firm APL and its captain on Tuesday over the shipment of nine Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) troop carriers through the territory without licence last November, it confirmed on Thursday in response to TODAY’s queries. 

“After a thorough investigation, the Customs and Excise Department has sufficient evidence to prove a case in breach of the strategic trade control system. Prosecution of the offending parties (shipping agent and master of the vessel) has been instigated on March 22,” a spokesperson said. 

on Thursday, a spokesperson from APL’s Singapore office said it had no updates after Tuesday night’s statement, where it said it has yet to receive any official summons and “will not be in the position to comment further”. 

The SAF Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles were seized by the Hong Kong authorities on Nov 23 as they were passing through Hong Kong from the Taiwanese port of Kaohsiung, and were detained at Kwai Chung Container Terminal. The shipment was en route to Singapore after a military training exercise. The vehicles were held for about two months.

Hong Kong’s Commissioner of Customs and Excise Roy Tang said at the time that the vehicles were seized because “there was a suspected breach of the Hong Kong law”, adding that an investigation might lead to criminal prosecution. The SAF said on Feb 6 that the Terrexes have been checked, and will be redeployed for training.