Hong Kong Customs seized about 25 kilograms of suspected cocaine at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) on June 19 and about 270 grams of suspected ketamine in Tsuen Wan yesterday (June 20) with an estimated market value of about $29 million and $150,000 respectively. This has broken the record of this year's largest inbound dangerous drugs case detected by Customs at the airport on June 3 in terms of seizure amount and value.

     Customs officers inspected an air consignment arriving in Hong Kong from the Netherlands at HKIA on June 19. The batch of suspected cocaine was found concealed inside ten buckets of fish food.

     After follow-up investigation, Customs officers yesterday arrested a 17-year old man suspected to be in connection with the case at an industrial building in Tsuen Wan, where the batch of suspected ketamine as well as a batch of drug manufacturing and packaging paraphernalia were further seized.

     The arrested man has been charged with two counts of trafficking in a dangerous drug. He will appear at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (June 22).

     Customs will continue to step up enforcement actions against drug trafficking activities through air cargo, postal parcel and express courier channels, as well as maintain close contact with Hongkong Post and the logistics industries, with a view to intercepting the inflow of drugs to Hong Kong.

     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).

    

     In response to the summary of the explanatory statement by an official of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the 19th session of the Standing Committee of the 13th NPC on June 18 on a draft law on safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China, the Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, today (June 21) made the following statement:

     The passage of the Decision on establishing and improving legal system and enforcement mechanisms for HKSAR to safeguard national security (the Decision) by the NPC on May 28, and the enactment of the legislation by the Standing Committee of the NPC for inclusion in Annex III of the Basic Law to be promulgated by the HKSAR are premised on constitutional and legal grounds. The legislation only aims to prevent, curb and sanction an extremely small minority of criminals who threaten national security, so as to safeguard the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and the implementation of "one country, two systems".

     Article 4 of the Decision stipulates that the HKSAR must establish and improve institutions and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security to strengthen enforcement power and the enforcement work on national security. It is also set out in the explanatory statement that a commission for safeguarding national security should be set up by the HKSAR. The Department of Justice, as one of the government departments which shoulder the major responsibilities in implementing the relevant enforcement work, will establish a dedicated unit to handle prosecutions in relation to national security.

     Hong Kong has experienced social unrest with frequent violence over the past year. There is even advocacy of independence. In view of the increasingly serious situation the HKSAR is facing in relation to national security and the difficulty of the executive and legislative authorities of the HKSAR to complete on their own legislation for safeguarding national security in the foreseeable future, there is the need and emergency for the NPC to take steps at the national level to improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security.

     "The explanatory statement clearly points out that the HKSAR, in safeguarding national security, should respect and protect human rights and freedoms which are applicable in Hong Kong under the Basic Law, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The provisions should be able to address public concerns. I will lead the Department of Justice to provide full support to the legislative work for safeguarding national security in the HKSAR." Ms Cheng said.

     Owing to the improvement works on the flag poles and the podium at the Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai, the flag raising and lowering ceremony tomorrow (June 22) and on June 23 will be suspended.

     The flag raising ceremony will resume at 8am on June 24.

     Registration for the Cash Payout Scheme went smoothly on the first day and public response was enthusiastic, the Government said today (June 21).

     As at 5pm today, about 2 million people submitted electronic registrations through the 21 banks participating in the Scheme and about 8 000 people submitted electronic forms through the Hongkong Post website.

     In addition, special arrangement has been made under which about 1 000 bank branches and 120 post offices over the territory opened from 9am to 5pm today to facilitate the submission of paper registration forms. Registration by paper form will be conducted by three batches according to date of birth. The first batch (i.e. people born in 1955 or before) may submit registration starting from today. People may put completed paper registration forms into drop-in boxes at banks/post offices or mail them to GPO Box No. 182020. The Government spokesman said that people registered in the first two weeks will receive payment or notification for cheque collection simultaneously from around July 20. Therefore, people do not need to rush for registration in the first days or submit registrations in person.

     The Government spokesman stressed that registering electronically through banks to receive payment by bank transfer is the fastest and most convenient, and also the quickest way to receive payment. For electronic registrations submitted through banks before end of this month, payment will be deposited simultaneously into the bank accounts specified by the registrants from around July 8. For electronic registrations submitted on or after July 1, registrants will receive payment around one week after registration.

     Registration for the Scheme is open until December 31, 2021.

     The public may visit the website of the Scheme (www.cashpayout.gov.hk) or call 18 2020 for detailed information on the Scheme.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
     
     As at noon today (June 21), one COVID-19 confirmed patient (case number: 1099) was discharged from hospital in the past 24 hours. So far, a total of 1 078 patients with confirmed or probable infections have been discharged.
      
     At present, there are 613 negative pressure rooms in public hospitals with 1 179 negative pressure beds activated. A total of 46 confirmed patients are currently hospitalised in seven hospitals, among which two patients are in critical condition (case numbers: 595 and 1100), and the remaining 44 patients are in stable condition.
      
     The Hospital Authority will maintain close contact with the Centre for Health Protection to monitor the latest developments and to inform the public and healthcare workers on the latest information in a timely manner.