A driver was sentenced to six months' imprisonment today (December 3) at Fanling Magistrates' Courts for using a school bus carrying cross-boundary students to smuggle gold, in contravention of the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO). This is the first gold smuggling case involving a cross-boundary school bus detected by Hong Kong Customs.

     Customs officers intercepted an incoming school bus carrying cross-boundary students at Man Kam To Control Point on July 28, 2017. Twelve gold bars weighing about 12 kilograms with an estimated market value of about $4.2 million were found concealed inside an altered structure near the front door of the bus. The 59-year-old male driver was then arrested.

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

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

     Special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Happy Valley tomorrow (December 4). The arrangements will come into effect one and a half hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting.

A. Traffic arrangements before the commencement of the first race

1. Road closure

     Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Queen's Road East and the up-ramp outside Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) will be closed except for vehicles heading for Aberdeen Tunnel.

2. Traffic diversions

– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Village Road and the up-ramp outside HKJC will be re-routed one way northbound;
– Traffic along eastbound Queen's Road East heading for Wan Chai and Happy Valley will be diverted to turn left to Morrison Hill Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Traffic along Queen's Road East cannot turn right to Wong Nai Chung Road except for vehicles heading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Queen's Road East will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Morrison Hill Road to turn right at the junction of Wong Nai Chung Road and Queen's Road East; and
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley or Racecourse will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, southbound Morrison Hill Road, Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road.

B. Traffic arrangements before the conclusion of race meeting

1. Road closure

     The following roads will be closed from about 35 minutes before the start of the last race:

– The up-ramp on Wong Nai Chung Road outside HKJC leading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Queen's Road East and the up-ramp leading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Village Road and the Public Stands of HKJC;
– Westbound Leighton Road between Wong Nai Chung Road and Canal Road East; and
– Southbound Morrison Hill Road between Leighton Road and Queen's Road East.

     In addition, southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between the up-ramp leading to Aberdeen Tunnel and the Public Stands of HKJC will be closed from about 10 minutes before the start of the last race.

2. Traffic diversions

     The following traffic diversions will be implemented from about 35 minutes before the start of the last race:

– Eastbound Queen's Road East at its junction with Morrison Hill Road will be reduced to one-lane traffic heading for northbound Canal Road flyover;
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Wan Chai will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, U-turn slip road beneath Canal Road flyover, Canal Road West and Hennessy Road;
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road will be diverted to turn left to eastbound Leighton Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road; and
– Traffic along westbound Leighton Road will be diverted to Wong Nai Chung Road.

C. Learner drivers prohibition

     Learner drivers will be prohibited to turn left from Caroline Hill Road to Leighton Road between one and a half hours before the start of the first race and one hour after the last race. In addition, learner drivers will be prohibited from accessing the following roads within the above period of time:

– Shan Kwong Road between Yik Yam Street and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Village Road between its upper and lower junctions with Shan Kwong Road;
– Percival Street between Hennessy Road and Leighton Road;
– Canal Road East; and
– The service road leading from Gloucester Road to Canal Road flyover.

D. Suspension of parking spaces

     Parking spaces on southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Sports Road and Blue Pool Road will be suspended from 11am to 7pm during day racing, from 4.30pm to 11.59pm during evening racing, and from 5pm to 11.59pm during night racing.

     Any vehicles found illegally parked within the precincts of the above affected areas will be towed away without prior notice.

     Actual implementation of road closure and traffic diversion will be made by the Police at the time depending on traffic conditions in the areas. Motorists should exercise tolerance and patience, and follow the instructions of Police on site.

     With the dominance of a dry northeast monsoon over southern China for most of the time, November 2019 was marked by prolonged dry and sunny weather in Hong Kong. The monthly total sunshine duration amounted to 263.0 hours, about 46 per cent above the normal figure of 180.1 hours, and the fourth highest on record for November. Only traces of rainfall were recorded in the month, making it the joint-driest November since records began in 1884. However, the accumulated rainfall this year up to November was 2,382.7 millimetres, slightly more than the normal figure of 2,371.7 millimetres for the same period. November 2019 was also much warmer than usual. The monthly mean maximum temperature was 26.1 degrees, 2.0 degrees above the normal figure of 24.1 degrees, and the joint-second highest on record for November. The monthly mean temperature of 23.0 degrees was 1.2 degrees above the normal figure of 21.8 degrees and was the joint-sixth highest on record for November. Moreover, the autumn mean temperature in Hong Kong from September to November 2019 reached 26.1 degrees and was 1.1 degrees above the normal figure of 25.0 degrees, making it the joint-warmest autumn on record.
      
     Under the prevalence of the dry northeast monsoon, the weather in Hong Kong was fine and dry from November 1 to 11. With plenty of sunshine, the maximum temperature at the Hong Kong Observatory rose to 29.3 degrees on November 1, the highest of the month. Following the moderation of the northeast monsoon, it was mainly cloudy with sunny intervals on November 12. A cold front formed over the northern part of southern China on November 13 and moved across the coastal areas that night. The associated northeast monsoon brought generally fine and slightly cooler weather to Hong Kong from November 14 to 17.
      
     Meanwhile, another cold front formed over central China on November 17 and edged southwards gradually. It moved across the south China coast in the night of November 18. Locally, apart from some haze, the weather in Hong Kong remained fine and dry on November 18. The northeast monsoon behind the cold front brought cooler mornings to the territory with the minimum temperatures staying below 20 degrees in the next four days. As the northeast monsoon weakened, local temperature recovered gradually on November 23 and 24.
      
     The strengthening of the northeast monsoon brought windy weather to Hong Kong on November 25. After a cloudy day on November 26, the weather turned fine again on the following day. With the replenishment of the northeast monsoon reaching the south China coast on November 28, it was fine and dry with cool mornings in Hong Kong from November 28 to 30. The temperature recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory on the morning of November 29 was 17.0 degrees, the lowest of the month.
      
     Six tropical cyclones occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in November 2019.
      
     Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in November are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for November are tabulated in Table 2.     

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Tuesday, December 3, 2019 is 106.4 (down 0.1 against yesterday's index).

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

Hong Kong Monetary Authority Exchange Fund Bills tender results
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     Hong Kong Monetary Authority tenders to be held in the week beginning December 9, 2019: