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HK seizes five armoured vehicles en route to China

HONG KONG: Hong Kong customs said on Thursday it had seized five armoured vehicles found aboard a vessel believed to be destined for mainland China.

"The five armoured vehicles, carrying no import licence, were loaded aboard a vessel arriving from Naples, Italy," it said in a statement.

The vessel was reportedly destined for northeastern Chinese city of Tianjin, it added. It gave no further details.

Three crew, including the master of the ship, were helping with the investigation.

In recent months, Hong Kong, a former British colony which reverted to Chinese rule in 1997, has been accused by some U.S. Congressmen of being a conduit for illegal smuggling of strategic goods to mainland China.

The China-backed Hong Kong government has repeatedly denied the accusations.-Reuters