Selling books that are banned on the mainland is not uncommon in Hong Kong, in fact, the sale of books critical of the Chinese Communist Party to visiting mainlanders has developed into something of a cottage industry.
The sensitive reading material bought by visitors from across the border from these small, “upstairs” vendors is then smuggled into the mainland individually.
It remains a mystery why five people all connected to one particular bookstore specialising in banned publications – Causeway Bay Books – have disappeared in recent weeks.
A publishing industry insider told the Sunday Morning Post that a possible reason for them being singled out could be the organised and sustained shipment of books into the mainland.
“Obviously it is illegal to deliver these books into the mainland,” the source said.
One tactic that can be used, the source said, was wrapping the books with covers that make them look like romance novels to evade mainland customs inspections.
