Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 3) seized about 21 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $24 million at Hong Kong International Airport. This is the largest inbound dangerous drugs case detected by Customs at the airport this year.

     Customs officers yesterday inspected an air consignment arriving in Hong Kong from the Netherlands and found the batch of suspected cocaine concealed inside 42 powdered formula cans.

     Upon follow-up investigation, Customs officers arrested a man suspected to be in connection with the case in Yau Tong on the same day.

     The arrested man, aged 20, has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. He will appear at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (June 5).

     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).

  

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will hold a public hearing on "Management of funding for sports development through the Arts and Sport Development Fund (Sports Portion)" (Chapter 1) of the Director of Audit's Report No.74 tomorrow (June 5) at 9am in Conference Room 2 of the LegCo Complex.
      
     Nine witnesses have been invited to appear before the above hearing to respond to points raised in the Report and answer questions asked by the PAC members.

     â€‹The programme for the public hearing is as follows:
 
Date: June 5 (Friday)
Time: 9am
Venue: Conference Room 2
   
Subject:

Management of funding for sports development through the Arts and Sport Development Fund (Sports Portion) (Chapter 1 of the Director of Audit's Report No.74)
 
Witnesses:

Secretary for Home Affairs
Mr Caspar Tsui

Commissioner for Sports
Mr Yeung Tak-keung
          
Principal Assistant Secretary (Recreation and Sport) 1, Home Affairs Bureau
Mr Paul Cheng 

Director of Leisure and Cultural Services
Mr Vincent Liu
          
Assistant Director (Leisure Services) 2, Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Mr Benjamin Hung
          
Chairman, Hong Kong Football Association
Mr Pui Kwan-kay
          
General Secretary, Hong Kong Football Association Secretariat
Mr Vincent Yuen
          
Internal Control Manager, Hong Kong Football Association Secretariat
Mr Cheung Ho-ming
          
Human Resources Manager, Hong Kong Football Association Secretariat
Ms Cherish Cheung
          
     The PAC is chaired by Mr Abraham Shek, and its Deputy Chairman is Mr Kenneth Leung. Other members include Mr Paul Tse, Mr Steven Ho, Mr Lam Cheuk-ting, Mr Shiu Ka-fai and Ms Tanya Chan.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at noon today (June 4), three COVID-19 confirmed patients (case numbers: 461, 1047 and 1065) were discharged from hospital in the past 24 hours. So far, a total of 1 042 patients with confirmed or probable infection have been discharged.
 
     At present, there are 651 negative pressure rooms in public hospitals with 1 211 negative pressure beds activated. A total of 48 confirmed patients are currently hospitalised in 10 hospitals, among which two patients are in critical condition (case numbers: 595 and 1084), and the remaining 46 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.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (June 4) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in the Mysuru District and the Davanagere District of Karnataka State, the Bhind District of Madhya Pradesh State, and the Malappuram District of Kerala State in India, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products, including poultry eggs, from the above areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
     
     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with India for the import of poultry eggs but not for poultry meat. According to the Census and Statistics Department, no poultry eggs from India were imported into Hong Kong in the first three months of this year.
     
     "The CFS has contacted the Indian authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said. 
 
 

     Police today (June 4) appealed to the public for information on a fatal traffic accident in Wong Tai Sin on January 21 in which an 83-year-old man died.    
                
     At about 11.45am that day, a taxi driven by a 57-year-old man was travelling along Choi Hung Road eastbound. When approaching the junction with Tai Yau Street, it reportedly knocked down the 83-year-old man who was crossing the road.  Sustaining serious head injuries, the man was rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in unconscious state. He was certified dead at 8.24pm on June 2.
      
     The taxi driver was arrested on June 2 for dangerous driving causing death. He has been released on bail pending further enquiries and is required to report back to Police in late June.    
      
     Investigation by the Special Investigation Team 2 of Traffic, Kowloon East is underway.

     Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 2305 7500 or 2305 7571.