â€‹Hong Kong Customs today (December 13) arrested a salesman suspected of applying false trade descriptions in the course of selling a mobile phone, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO), at a mobile phone retail shop in Mong Kok.

     Customs earlier received information alleging that a salesperson of a mobile phone retail shop in Mong Kok sold a used mobile phone which was claimed to be a brand new product to a customer and also claimed that the shop was an authorised dealer of the concerned brand. After investigation, it was revealed that both claims were contrary to the fact. 

     Customs officers today arrested a 29-year-old man suspected to be in connection with the case.

     Investigation is ongoing and the arrested man has been released on bail pending further investigation.

     Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to procure goods at reputable shops.

     Under the TDO, any person who applies a false trade description to goods or supplies goods with a false trade description in the course of trade or business, or in the possession of any goods for sale with a false trade description, 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 violation of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (December 13) that Island East Swimming Pool in Eastern District, closed earlier due to urgent maintenance works on water mains, will be reopened at 6pm today.

     â€‹Hong Kong Customs has so far this year seized over 405 million suspected illicit cigarettes, a figure that already exceeds the annual seizure amounts for each of the past two decades. It also marked a two-fold increase over last year's total seizure amount. In the latest case on December 10, Customs has seized about 47 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $130 million and a duty potential of about $89 million in Tsing Yi. It has become the largest cigarette smuggling case detected by Customs in the past two decades.

     During an anti-illicit cigarette operation mounted on that day in Tsing Yi, Customs officers intercepted three container trucks on Sai Tso Wan Road and seized about 31 million suspected illicit cigarettes inside the three containers. After an initial investigation, Customs officers searched another two containers at a nearby pier and seized about 16 million suspected illicit cigarettes.

     During the operation, Customs officers arrested three men, aged between 46 and 55, and detained five containers suspected to be connected to the case.

     Investigation is ongoing. Customs will continue to trace the source and the flow of the illicit cigarettes. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.

     Among the cigarette smuggling cases cracked by Customs this year, there were 17 mega cases involving 500 000 cigarettes or more, of which eight were cases involved over 10 million cigarettes or more, while there were 22 cases and four cases respectively last year. Of this year's 17 cases, 11 of them were detected at the import level and six of them were detected at transshipment and export levels. The number of illicit cigarettes seized were about 209 million, an increase of nearly one-fold as compared to last year's 102 million illicit cigarettes.

     Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multi-pronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to spare no effort in combating illicit cigarette activities.

     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

     Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

  

     According to the provisional results of a survey released today (December 13) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), the index of industrial production for manufacturing industries as a whole increased by 7.8% in the third quarter of 2021 compared with a year earlier, following a year-on-year increase of 5.6% in the second quarter of 2021. The corresponding producer price index decreased by 0.9% in the third quarter of 2021 compared with a year earlier, as against a year-on-year increase of 2.7% in the second quarter of 2021.

     The index of industrial production for sewerage, waste management and remediation activities increased by 1.2% in the third quarter of 2021 compared with a year earlier, following a year-on-year increase of 1.6% in the second quarter of 2021. The corresponding producer price index increased by 4.4% in the third quarter of 2021 compared with a year earlier, following a year-on-year increase of 4.7% in the second quarter of 2021.

     Indices of industrial production reflect changes in the volume of local industrial output after discounting the effect of price changes. The price changes are measured by the producer price indices compiled from data on producer prices of selected industrial goods/services collected in the same survey.

     Comparing the industrial production in respect of major manufacturing industries in the third quarter of 2021 with that a year earlier, increases in output volume were recorded mainly in the food, beverages and tobacco industry (+13.6%). On the other hand, decreases in output volume were recorded in the metal, computer, electronic and optical products, machinery and equipment industry (-9.8%); the textiles and wearing apparel industry (-2.4%); and the paper products, printing and reproduction of recorded media industry (-1.9%).

     On a seasonally adjusted basis, the index of industrial production for manufacturing industries as a whole decreased by 0.3% in the third quarter of 2021 compared with the second quarter of 2021.

     Producer price indices reflect changes in the prices of local output. They measure changes in the actual prices (net of any discounts or rebates allowed to buyers, plus any surcharges) received by producers for their output. Transportation and other incidental charges are not included.

     Comparing the third quarter of 2021 with a year earlier, a decrease in producer price was recorded in the metal, computer, electronic and optical products, machinery and equipment industry (-3.3%). On the other hand, increases in producer prices were recorded mainly in the food, beverages and tobacco industry (+2.0%); the paper products, printing and reproduction of recorded media industry (+1.1%); and the textiles and wearing apparel industry (+0.3%).

     Table 1 shows the year-on-year percentage changes in the indices of industrial production by selected industry grouping. Table 2 shows the year-on-year percentage changes in the producer price indices for the industrial sector by selected industry grouping.

     The revised figures on indices of industrial production and producer price indices for the industrial sector for the third quarter of 2021 will be released at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/page_8000.html) and relevant publications of the Department starting from January 18, 2022.

     Users can download the reports "Quarterly Index of Industrial Production, 3rd Quarter 2021" (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1070002&scode=310) and "Quarterly Producer Price Index for Industrial Sector, 3rd Quarter 2021" (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1070003&scode=280) at the website of the C&SD.

     For enquiries about indices of industrial production and producer price indices, please contact the Industrial Production Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7247; email: ind-production@censtatd.gov.hk).

     A government spokesman today (December 13) said that about 3 million people who collected the first consumption voucher via Octopus on August 1 and whose cumulative total "eligible spending" has reached $4,000 by the end of November will receive the remaining $1,000 voucher on December 16. They will also successively receive SMS notifications on the disbursement on that day. The relevant people may collect the vouchers by tapping the card at the Subsidy Collection Points of the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme, designated convenience stores and supermarkets, Octopus Service Points or via the Octopus mobile app.
 
​     According to the consumption voucher disbursement arrangement, people collecting the vouchers via Octopus whose "eligible spending" reached $4,000 within the fourth to seventh month after the first voucher was disbursed will have the last $1,000 voucher disbursed on the 16th day of the following month after the target was achieved. In other words, for people who received the first voucher through Octopus on August 1, even if their cumulative total "eligible spending" did not reach $4,000 by the end of November (i.e. four months after the first voucher disbursement), they still have time to spend with the vouchers. As long as their cumulative total "eligible spending" reaches the target by the end of February next year (i.e. seven months after the first voucher disbursement), they may still receive the last $1,000 voucher on March 16 next year. The relevant people may enquire about their cumulative total "eligible spending" and whether they can collect the last $1,000 voucher on December 16 through the following methods:
 
– Octopus mobile app
– Octopus website (voucher.octopus.com.hk)
– Octopus customer service hotline: 2969 5500
 
     Meanwhile, the spokesman reminded people who received the first and second vouchers respectively on August 1 and October 1 via AlipayHK, Tap & Go or WeChat Pay HK that the validity period of their vouchers will expire concurrently on December 31. The unused voucher value will automatically become invalid after the expiry date.
 
​     The public may browse the apps and websites or call the following hotlines of the relevant stored value facility operators to enquire about how to use the vouchers, the value of the vouchers disbursed, unspent/uncollected voucher balance, expiry dates, and more:
 
– AlipayHK: 2245 3201
– Octopus: 2969 5500
– Tap & Go: 2888 0000
– WeChat Pay HK: 3929 1666
 
​     The public may visit the Consumption Voucher Scheme website (www.consumptionvoucher.gov.hk) or call the hotline 18 5000 for enquiries if they have any questions about the Scheme.