Author Archives: hksar gov

Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:      Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced toda… read more

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations: Yellow fire danger warning      The fire danger situation today (October 17) is yellow and the risk of fire is high. People are urged to prevent fires breaking out and hik… read more

     Yang Memorial Methodist Social Service has been issued a Public Subscription Permit to hold a territory-wide flag sale from 7am to 12.30pm today (October 17), a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said.
     
     Details of the charitable fund-raising activities, including any updated information, covered by the issued Public Subscription Permits have been published on the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/en/theme/fundraising/search). Permits for flag days containing information on contact methods of the flag-selling organisations and the approved flag-selling activities have also been uploaded to the SWD’s website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/ngo/controlofc/flagdays) for reference. For enquiries, please call the SWD’s hotline at 2343 2255, or the designated hotline of the 1823 Call Centre at 3142 2678.
     
     In the case of suspected fraudulent flag day activities, people should not make any donation and should immediately report the matter to the Police, the spokesman added. read more

     Hong Kong Customs mounted a special operation yesterday (October 15) in Tuen Mun to combat processing workshops and storages of suspected counterfeit hard disks, and seized about 6 800 items of suspected counterfeit hard disks with a total estimated market value of about $50 million. Six persons were arrested.

     After an in-depth investigation by Customs officers and with the assistance of trademark owners, Customs took special operation yesterday and raided five industrial units in Tuen Mun. Five men and one woman were arrested, including five Mainland persons and one local person aged between 31 and 59. Large batches of suspected counterfeit hard disks, packaging materials and tools were seized.

     In addition, Customs seized approximately 20 000 second-hand hard disks suspected of awaiting processing in the industrial units. It is believed that the arrested persons first purchased large quantities of second-hand hard disks and used items such as adhesive removers to remove the original labels from the second-hand hard disks. They then used specialised hard disk electronic equipment to format the hard disks, and affixed labels of various major brands, sealed them in anti-static bags, and offered them for sale.

     The arrested persons have been detained for investigation. The investigation is ongoing and the likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.

     Customs will continue to step up inspection and enforcement to vigorously combat the sale of different kinds of counterfeit goods.

     Customs reminds consumers to procure goods at reputable shops and check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt. Traders should also be cautious and prudent in merchandising since selling counterfeit goods is a serious crime and offenders are liable to criminal sanctions.

     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who forges a trademark, sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080, its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (​eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

          

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 16) that samples of two batches of mung bean starch sheet and its related product were found not in compliance with the requirement of the Preservatives in Food Regulation (Cap. 132BD) (the Regulation). The CFS is following up on the incident.

     Product details are as follows:

Product name: (Not available in English)
Weight: 500 grams
Manufacture dates: June 27, 2026; July 9, 2026
Place of origin: China
Sole distributor: Zhuang Ji Food Trade Company

     A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS collected two samples of mung bean starch sheet and its related product sold and supplied by the above-mentioned sole distributor for testing. The test results showed that the two samples contained sodium dehydroacetate at a level of 69 and 61 parts per million respectively, not in compliance with the requirement of the Regulation. Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence.”

     “The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the matter concerned, and instructed it to stop selling and remove from shelves the affected batches of the product concerned, and to initiate a recall. The trade should stop using or selling the affected batches of the product immediately if they possess any of them. Members of the public and the trade may call the distributor’s hotline at 3706 5528 during office hours for enquiries about the recall of the affected batches of the product,” the spokesman added.

     According to the Regulation, sodium dehydroacetate is not allowed to be used in mung bean starch sheet. Any person who sells food not in compliance with the requirement on preservatives under the Regulation is liable upon conviction to a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.

     The spokesman said that based on the level of sodium dehydroacetate detected in the two samples, risk assessment showed that adverse health effects are unlikely under usual consumption.

     The CFS has informed the trade, and will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing. read more