Four men, who were earlier arrested by the ICAC for their alleged corrupt involvement in smuggling portable phones on board armoured vehicles across the border, were charged today (Tuesday).

Hui Ping-kee, 51 and Sze Ho-chun, 54, respectively former Security Guard and Crew Commander of Securicor HK Limited (Securicor), Chau Sau-kit, 40 and Chow Cho-fung, 42, respectively owner and employee of Shing Fat Trading Company, will appear at Eastern Court tomorrow (Wednesday) at 9:30 am on bribery and smuggling charges.

During an operation in August last year, the ICAC intercepted an armoured vehicle of the security company at Man Kam To Control Point and arrested the defendants.

A total of 950 mobile phones and 928 phone batteries, of an estimated value of $2.78 million, were seized from the vehicle which was heading for the Mainland.

The first charge alleged Hui and Chau of conspiring to offer cash payments to Hui, between October 1999 and August 2000, for Hui to deliver mobile phones and accessories by an armoured vehicle of Securicor while he was on duty for the company.

The second charge alleged Hui and Sze of conspiring to offer cash payments to Sze during the same period.

The bribes were alleged to be for Sze to deliver mobile phones and accessories by an armoured vehicle of Securicor or fail to prevent Hui from using the vehicle for that purpose.

Both Sze and Hui were said to be on duty for the company when the alleged offence took place.

The third charge alleged the four defendants of conspiring with Wong Man-sau to export unmanifested cargo, which was mobile phones and accessories.

The defendants were released on ICAC bail, pending their court appearances tomorrow.