Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 5) detected two drug trafficking cases involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 22 kilograms of suspected ketamine and about 8kg of suspected cocaine, with a total estimated market value of about $16 million.
      
     The first case involved an 18-year-old male passenger arriving in Hong Kong from Frankfurt, Germany, via Doha, Qatar, yesterday. During Customs clearance, about 22kg of suspected ketamine was found in his check-in suitcase and a product containing about 6 grams of suspected nicotine was found on him. The passenger was subsequently arrested.
      
     In the second case, an 18-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Madrid, Spain, via Doha, Qatar, yesterday. During Customs clearance, about 8kg of suspected cocaine was found in his check-in suitcase and a batch of suspected alternative smoking products was found on him. This passenger was subsequently arrested.
      
     The arrested male in the first case has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and one count of possession of a Part 1 Poison, and the arrested male in the second case has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and one count of importing alternative smoking products. Both cases will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (June 7). 
      
     Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.
      
     Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
      
     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.
      
     Under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, any person who possesses any poison included in Part 1 of the Poisons List other than in accordance with provisions commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for two years.
      
     Under the Import and Export Ordinance, importing an alternative smoking product is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

        

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed "Contribute", "Greenlane", "Lightshadow" and "Twilight", for four consecutive days from June 2 to yesterday (June 5). A total of 16 suspected illegal workers were arrested.

     During the anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD Task Force officers raided 79 target locations including a food court, a grocery store, a massage parlour, residential buildings, restaurants and a warehouse. Sixteen suspected illegal workers were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised four men and 12 women, aged 24 to 61. Among them, two men and three women were holders of recognisance forms, which prohibit them from taking any employment. In addition, two women were also suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card.

     An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."

     The spokesman warned, "As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment. As stipulated in section 20(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance, the Chief Executive may make a deportation order against an immigrant, prohibiting the immigrant from being in Hong Kong at any time thereafter if the immigrant has been found guilty in Hong Kong of an offence punishable by imprisonment for not less than two years. Under the prevailing laws, it is an offence to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card or a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years' imprisonment."

     The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.

     According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.

     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threats and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.

  

     An incoming male passenger was sentenced to three weeks' imprisonment with a fine of $1,500 at the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (June 6) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs Officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

     Customs officers intercepted the incoming 59-year-old male passenger at the Lo Wu Control Point yesterday (June 5) and seized 2 185 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $8,900 and a duty potential of about $7,200 from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.

     Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who deals with, possesses, sells or buys 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 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

  

     â€‹The Town Planning Board (TPB) delegation visited Hangzhou and Shanghai from June 1 to 4 to better understand the prevailing urban planning and development of these cities. The delegation was led by the Chairperson of the TPB, i.e. the Permanent Secretary for Development (Planning and Lands), with representatives from the Planning Department and 19 members of the TPB.

     During the first stop in Hangzhou, the delegation visited the Hangzhou City Planning Exhibition Hall and was briefed by representatives of the Hangzhou Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources on Hangzhou's history, overall planning and future development direction, particularly Hangzhou's emphasis on the digital economy, private enterprises and the talent attraction approach of its development strategy.
      
     To gain insights into successful experiences in urban-rural integration, the delegation visited Xiaogucheng Village in Jingshan Town, where the delegation learned the pivotal role of enterprises in rural revitalisation. By creating distinctive village houses and streetscapes, promoting an agricultural and tea culture, and converting some village homes into home-stay lodgings linked with surrounding attractions, the Village has been transformed into a new agri-cultural tourism destination. The delegation also visited the Xixi National Wetland Park, the first national wetland park in China, where the members observed its ecological protection projects, which presented a sustainable development model worthy of reference for Hong Kong.

     The delegation then visited the Hangzhou Future Sci-Tech City Urban Exhibition Center to learn about Hangzhou's advancements in areas of smart city technologies; AI, including developments and achievements; and applications of innovation and technology (I&T) enterprises such as Hangzhou's "Six Little Dragons". The delegation then visited the headquarters of Alibaba Group, where representatives of Alibaba introduced developments in fintech, cloud computing and smart logistics, as well as their synergies and global impacts on the digital economy and technology.
      
     The delegation then proceeded to visit Shanghai. Representatives of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources introduced to the delegation the history, current status and future prospects of Shanghai's urban planning, particularly Shanghai's development strategy to solidify its status as a leading financial and commercial hub, while also shifting focus to develop its I&T and manufacturing/industrial sector in recent years. The delegation visited the century-old Zhang Yuan to learn more about its revitalisation through acquisition and preservation of structures without demolition, and relocation of occupants by the local government, with a view to effectively preserve the traditional cultural landscape of Shanghai.
      
     The delegation also visited the GrandneoBay Sci-tech Innovation Park of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) where members learned how the research and development (R&D) platform facilitating the integration of industry, academia and research, as well as the local Government's leading role in initiating innovation from 0 to 1, passing on to enterprises to drive scalability from 1 to 100. The key focus is to leverage the SJTU's applied R&D achievements and combine the effort of the Government and the support of enterprises to provide capital assistance for the SJTU's research talent to launch start-ups, transforming scientific achievements into marketable products and driving industrialisation. Finally, the delegation visited the assembly manufacturing centre of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) to learn about COMAC's outstanding achievements and contributions in the manufacturing of large civil aircraft and the advancement of the aviation industry, particularly the advanced automated manufacturing processes and comprehensive monitoring systems, which impressed the delegation.

     This visit provided the delegation with an in-depth understanding of the latest urban planning and developments in Hangzhou and Shanghai, and facilitated valuable exchanges of experiences and views with relevant planning units and group organisations. The insights gained will serve as a valuable reference for future considerations on the development of the Northern Metropolis, innovative industries, wetland conservation, and urban-rural integration, etc.

          

     The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, led members of the Hong Kong Logistics Development Council to visit Chongqing and met with local industry players to promote Hong Kong's strengths in transport and logistics. The delegation also inspected local transport and logistics facilities to explore collaboration opportunities between Hong Kong and Chongqing.

     Ms Chan and her delegation met with Vice Mayor of Chongqing Municipal People's Government Mr Zheng Xiangdong and other officials today (June 6) and reported the latest logistics developments in Hong Kong. They also had a discussion on further deepening co-operation in areas such as intermodal cargo transshipment and building Chongqing-Hong Kong logistics corridor under the establishment of the Hong Kong/Chongqing Co-operation Conference Mechanism, with a view to leveraging the strengths of the two hubs and serving the country's needs.

     The delegation also inspected the operations of high-speed rail freight services to gain insights into how Chongqing leverages its railway transport system, complemented by intermodal cargo transshipment modes such as air and sea transport, to enhance the overall rail freight service capacity. The delegation also met with representatives of local logistics and transportation enterprises to further explore collaboration opportunities between the two places.

     Ms Chan said that Hong Kong has long been Chongqing's largest source of external investment, accounting for over 60 per cent of Chongqing's actual foreign capital utilisation. On the trade front, Hong Kong is Chongqing's second-largest trading partner, with the total value of imports and exports between the two cities reaching $57.5 billion in 2024, ranking first among Western provinces in terms of trade value. As an international aviation hub and maritime centre, Hong Kong is renowned for its high efficiency and fast customs clearance. Coupled with its professional strengths in talent, infrastructure and technology in handling diverse cargoes, Hong Kong can better serve Chongqing, a key manufacturing base of the country, by providing an efficient export channel for local goods.

     Ms Chan and her delegation began their visit to Chongqing yesterday (June 5). They attended the Hong Kong-Chongqing logistics sector co-operation seminar, organised by the Hong Kong Logistics Development Council and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and highlighted Hong Kong's advantages in logistics and transport to the local logistics sector. She expressed hope that Hong Kong and Chongqing can enhance collaboration by fostering strong alliance and complementing each other, to move forward together under the new international trade environment.

     Ms Chan said, "The development between Hong Kong and Chongqing is gaining good momentum. Following the establishment of the Hong Kong/Chongqing Co-operation Conference Mechanism in 2023, closer ties in various aspects, including trade and logistics, have been maintained. Seizing the opportunities, initiatives such as the launch of the Chongqing-Shenzhen-Hong Kong scheduled rail-sea service last year and the Chongqing-Qinzhou-Hong Kong sea-rail intermodal service this year are the outcomes of co-operation achieved between the logistics sectors of both places. As China's most internationalised city, Hong Kong possesses the advantage of being 'part of China but outside the Mainland'. Amidst the evolving international trade landscape with impacts of uncertain factors such as tariffs, Hong Kong can offer greater flexibility for Mainland cargo owners and logistics providers, making it the best choice for cargo transshipment between the Mainland and overseas."

     Yesterday afternoon, Ms Chan and her delegation met with representatives of local shipping enterprises and had a discussion on enhancing the maritime ties between Hong Kong and Chongqing. They also toured the Chongqing International Logistics Hub Park to learn about its operation. The delegation also had a meeting with Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government Ms Zhang Yaqian to exchange views on how to facilitate exchanges and collaborations between Hong Kong and Chongqing in logistics and transport.

     Ms Chan concluded her visit this afternoon and will return to Hong Kong this evening.