The Department of Health (DH) today (August 23) appealed to the public not to buy or consume a slimming product named SUSUYA as it was found to contain an undeclared and banned drug ingredient that might be dangerous to health.
 
     Acting upon intelligence, a sample of the above product was purchased from an Internet seller for analysis. Test results from the Government Laboratory revealed that the sample contains sibutramine and bisacodyl.
 
     The DH's investigation is continuing.
 
     Sibutramine is a Part 1 poison under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap 138) and was once used as an appetite suppressant. Since November 2010, products containing sibutramine have been banned in Hong Kong because of increased cardiovascular risk. Bisacodyl is a laxative that may cause abdominal pain.
        
     According to the Ordinance, all pharmaceutical products must be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be legally sold in the market. Illegal sale or possession of Part 1 poisons and unregistered pharmaceutical products are criminal offences. The maximum penalty for each offence is a fine of $100,000 and two years' imprisonment.
 
     The DH spokesman strongly urged members of the public not to buy products of unknown or doubtful composition, or to consume products from unknown sources. All registered pharmaceutical products should carry a Hong Kong registration number on the package in the format HK-XXXXX. Safety, quality and efficacy of unregistered pharmaceutical products are not guaranteed.
 
     Weight control should be achieved through a balanced diet and appropriate exercise. The public should consult healthcare professionals before using any medication for weight control.
 
     The public may visit the website of Drug Office of the DH for health messages on overweight problem and slimming products and information on slimming products with undeclared Western drug ingredients.
 
     People who have purchased the product should stop taking it immediately. They can also submit the product to the Drug Office of the DH at Room 1856, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, during office hours for disposal.

  

     The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, today (August 23) extended his congratulations to Hong Kong equestrian athlete Jacqueline Siu on winning a gold medal in the Individual Dressage at the 18th Asian Games, being held in Jakarta and Palembang in Indonesia. This is the first gold medal won by the Hong Kong delegation in this Asian Games. 
 
     Mr Lau said, "Hong Kong athlete Jacqueline Siu excelled in the competition to win a gold medal. This achievement fully demonstrates that her hard training has paid off and we share her joy. On behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, I would like to thank the coaches, staff and families who have given their support to the athletes."

     The Hong Kong team has so far won 10 medals, namely one gold medal, two silver medals and seven bronze medals, at this Asian Games. The list of medals won on August 21 as follows:

August 21

Silver medal
————–
Fencing: Men's Individual Foil
Nicholas Edward Choi
 
Bronze medals
—————-
Fencing: Women's Individual Epee
Vivian Kong

Fencing: Men's Individual Foil
Cheung Ka-long

Swimming: Women's 4x200m Freestyle Relay
Ho Nam-wai, Camille Cheng, Katii Tang and Sze Hang-yu

     Hong Kong Police arrested 4,283 people and seized dangerous drugs and illicit goods worth about HK$310 million during a tripartite anti-crime joint operation mounted by the Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macau Police authorities between May 15 and August 15 this year.
      
     The police authorities of Hong Kong, Guangdong, and Macau have spared no effort to combat triad activities and organised crimes, especially cross-boundary syndicates. The intelligence-led enforcement operation, codenamed “THUNDERBOLT 18”, was aimed at curbing the illegal activities of triad societies and organised crime syndicates, neutralising cross-boundary crimes, and interdicting the criminals' source of income.
      
     During the operation, Hong Kong Police conducted searches of some 6,300 locations including discos, amusement game centres, massage establishments, nightclubs and residential units. A total of 4,283 persons were arrested for various offences, including triad-related offences, drug offences, managing vice establishments, breach of conditions of stay, illegal gambling, criminal damage, wounding and possession of arms or ammunition without license.
      
     The arrested persons included 2,227 men and 2,056 women, aged between 12 and 72. Amongst them, 1,259 were Mainlanders and 219 were non-ethnic Chinese.
      
     During the operation, Hong Kong Police seized dangerous drugs and psychotropic drugs worth about $90 million, including cannabis, ketamine, cocaine, ice, heroin and midazolam, etc. Police also seized over 205,800 obscene and pirated DVDs valued at about $3.7 million. Other seizure also included large batch of weapons and imitation firearms, and about 150,000 rolls of contraband cigarettes.

     Hong Kong Police would continue to maintain close liaison and exchange intelligence with the Mainland and Macau police authorities with a view to interdicting cross-boundary triad activities to uphold the public confidence in law and order.

     The highly acclaimed Dutch violinist Janine Jansen will collaborate with Ukrainian-Australian pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk for a duo recital in Hong Kong in September.
 
     The recital will be staged at 8pm on September 23 (Sunday) at the Concert Hall of Hong Kong City Hall. The duo programme is full of nuance and virtuosity, including sonatas by Schumann, Brahms and Franck, as well as Clara Schumann's "Three Romances".
 
     Born in Soest, the Netherlands, Janine Jansen began playing violin at the age of 6. Her Concertgebouw debut in 1997 made her famous in Holland and she was named a BBC New Generation Artist after her London debut with Vladimir Ashkenazy conducting the London Philharmonia Orchestra in 2002. In 2003, Jansen received the Dutch Music Prize from the Ministry of Culture – the highest distinction in the Netherlands – and won the Edison Classic Public Award (the Netherlands) four times. She has also won the ECHO Klassik award (Germany), the Royal Philharmonic Society Instrumentalist Award (the UK), the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik (Germany), the NDR Musikpreis for outstanding artistic achievement (Germany) and the Concertgebouw Prize (the Netherlands).
 
     Born in 1984, Alexander Gavrylyuk took both the coveted Gold Medal and the award for Best Performance of a Classical Concerto at the internationally renowned Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in 2005. Since his debut in 2010 with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Gavrylyuk has appeared with the philharmonic orchestras of New York, Los Angeles, Warsaw, Moscow and Rotterdam. His solo recitals in Moscow Conservatory's Grand Hall and London's Wigmore Hall have also been highly acclaimed.
 
     "Encore Series: Violin and Piano Duo Concert by Janine Jansen and Alexander Gavrylyuk" is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Tickets priced at $200, $280, $350 and $420 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_476.html.
 
     A pre-concert talk entitled "The Succession in a Musical Romance" (to be conducted in Cantonese) will be held at 6.45pm at the North Committee Room, 7/F, High Block, Hong Kong City Hall. The speaker will be Calvin Lai. Admission is free with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.

     The Labour Department will hold a seminar on productivity assessment for employees with disabilities under the Statutory Minimum Wage regime on September 21 (Friday) at 10am at the Multi-purpose Hall of the Princess Alexandra Community Centre, 60 Tai Ho Road, Tsuen Wan, New Territories. Enrolment is now open.
 
     Details of productivity assessment for employees with disabilities under the Minimum Wage Ordinance will be introduced in the seminar. Employers, persons with disabilities and their family members as well as representatives from rehabilitation organisations are welcome to attend.
 
     The seminar will be conducted in Cantonese and a sign language interpretation service will be provided. Admission is free and seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The enrolment deadline is September 17 (Monday). The enrolment form can be downloaded from the department's website (www.labour.gov.hk). For enquiries, please call 2852 3856.