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Author Archives: hksar gov

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cocaine at airport (with photo)

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (July 9) seized about 2.1 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $2.1 million at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA).

     Customs officers inspected an air cargo consignment arriving in Hong Kong from Brazil at HKIA yesterday. A total of 14 pieces of compartment cardboard were found inside a batch of paper boxes containing food products. The batch of suspected cocaine was found concealed inside the inner layers of the cardboard.   

     After follow-up investigation, Customs officers arrested a 35-year-old man suspected to be in connection with the case at an industrial building in Hung Hom on the same day.

     The arrested man has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. He will appear at Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (July 11).

     Customs will maintain close contact with Hongkong Post and the logistics industries to step up action against drug trafficking through postal parcel and express courier channels.

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

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

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HAB reiterates stance on use of District Council members’ ward offices as polling stations

     The Home Affairs Bureau (HAB) today (July 10) made the following statement on the use of District Council (DC) members’ ward offices as polling stations for primaries.
           
     The HAB noted that an organisation plans to hold pro-democracy primaries for the 2020 Legislative Council General Election on July 11 and July 12, and some ward offices of the DC members will be used as polling stations.
           
     The HAB reiterated that according to section 7(a) of Specific Standards of the Code of Conduct for Members of a District Council or Its Committees (Code of Conduct): a DC member shall not use the various allowances for a member and/or his or her ward office(s) for purposes other than those connected with the business of the DC. 
           
     The HAB reminded DC members again that paragraph 23 of the Guidelines on the Remuneration Package for Members of the District Councils of the HKSAR stipulates that a DC member must ensure that the ward office operated with the support of the Operating Expenses Reimbursement and other accountable allowances/expenses reimbursements for DC members is used for the discharge of DC duties. The spokesman stressed that should the ward office be used for discharging duties not related to the DC, e.g. using the ward office as a polling station of the abovementioned event, the related expenses will not be reimbursed. 

     Furthermore, some ward offices are located in the premises of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA). According to the HA, the tenancy agreements for leasing ward offices signed between the members and HA stipulate that “not to carry on or permit or suffer to be carried on in or upon the said premises or any part thereof any trade profession or business whatsoever other than that of a Councillor’s office”. If a tenant violates the terms in the tenancy agreement (e.g. using the ward office for purposes not related to the business of the Council), the HA would consider taking appropriate follow-up actions in the light of the actual situation. read more