Hong Kong Customs today (November 29) detected the largest smuggling case of saiga antelope horn in the past five years at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 50 kilograms of suspected saiga antelope horn with an estimated market value of about $50,000.

     Customs officers intercepted a 49-year-old male passenger arriving in Hong Kong from Moscow, Russia, at the airport this morning. During customs clearance, the batch of suspected saiga antelope horn was found inside his two items of check-in luggage.

     The case has been handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for follow-up action.

     Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting an endangered species without a licence is liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 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).

  

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

     Details of the meetings of the Legislative Council (LegCo) and its Committees to be held in the LegCo Complex during the week from December 2 to 7 are available in the meeting schedule attached.
 
     The information in the meeting schedule is subject to change. Please refer to the "LegCo Calendar" on the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk) for the latest details of meetings.
 
     Members of the public are welcome to observe open meetings of LegCo and its Committees. Interested individuals and groups are advised to make advance booking of seats by calling the LegCo Secretariat at 3919 3399 during office hours. Members of the public can also listen to or watch all open meetings via the "Webcast" system on the LegCo Website.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson of the Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital at Sandy Bay (DKCH) made the following announcement today (November 29).
 
     Five male patients (aged 4 to 32) in a ward had presented with fever and running nose symptoms since November 21. Appropriate tests had been arranged and the results of the three patients were confirmed positive to Rhinovirus. One patient with chronic disease was transferred to Queen Mary Hospital for further management on November 26 and passed away on November 27. The remaining two patients are in stable condition and are being treated under isolation.
 
     Infection control measures of the ward have already been stepped up according to established guidelines. All other patients in the ward are under close surveillance. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow up.

     â€‹Hong Kong Customs yesterday (November 28) conducted an anti-smuggling operation and detected a suspected smuggling case using fishing vessels in the southeast waters of Hong Kong. About 540 tonnes of suspected smuggled frozen meat with an estimated market value of about $50 million were seized. This is the largest frozen meat smuggling case detected by Customs in the past decade.

     Customs earlier conducted an in-depth investigation on a smuggling syndicate and took enforcement action yesterday. Customs officers spotted four suspicious fishing vessels leaving Hong Kong in the southeast waters of Hong Kong and took immediate action to intercept the fishing vessels for examination. The batch of suspected smuggled frozen meat was seized on board the vessels.

     In the operation, six men aged between 52 and 64 were arrested.

     Investigation is ongoing.

     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, 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).

    

     The Government announced today (November 29) the re-appointment of Mr Wong Yan-lung, SC, as the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Mental Health and the re-appointment of 18 incumbent members as well as the appointment of four new members for a two-year term from December 1, 2019, to November 30, 2021.
 
     The four newly appointed members are Dr Patrick Ip Pak-keung (a paediatrician), Ms Jolene Mui (a psychiatric nurse), Mr Ricky Leung Wai-kay (a primary school principal) and Ms Lily Chan (a carer of persons with mental health needs).
 
     The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the Chairman and members of the Committee for their valuable advice in the past two years. She also thanked the four outgoing members, Ms Glendy Ip Suk-han, Dr Josephine Grace Wong Wing-san, Mr Dicky Lam Ka-hong and Miss Twiggy Chan Cheuk-ki for their contributions to the work of the Committee during their tenure.
 
     The Committee, established in December 2017, advises the Government on mental health policies, including the establishment of more integral and comprehensive approaches to tackle multi-faceted mental health issues in Hong Kong. In the new term, the Committee will continue to assist the Government in developing policies, strategies and measures to enhance mental health services in Hong Kong. It will also follow up on and monitor the implementation of the recommendations of the Mental Health Review Report.
 
     The new membership of the Committee from December 1, 2019, is as follows:
 
Chairman
———-
Mr Wong Yan-lung, SC

Non-official members
————————

Healthcare sector

Dr Felix Chan Hon-wai
Professor Eric Chen Yu-hai
Dr Hung Se-fong
Dr Patrick Ip Pak-keung
Professor Linda Lam Chiu-wa
Dr David Lau Ying-kit
Dr Eugenie Leung Yeuk-sin
Ms Jolene Mui

Social service and education sectors

Mr Chua Hoi-wai
Ms Kimmy Ho Wai-kuen
Mr Frederick Lai Wing-hoi
Mr James Lam Yat-fung
Mr Ricky Leung Wai-kay
Professor Samson Tse Shu-ki
Ms Anita Wong Yiu-ming
Professor Loretta Yam Yin-chun

Lay persons
 
Ms Lily Chan Lei-hung
Ms Lily Chan
Mr William Choy
Mr Stephen Leung Mung-hung
Professor Naubahar Sharif
Miss Yuen Shuk-yan
Ms Shirley Marie Therese Loo

Ex-officio members
———————
Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Health) or representative
Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare or representative
Permanent Secretary for Education or representative
Director of Health or representative
Director of Social Welfare or representative
Director (Cluster Services), Hospital Authority
Chairman, Coordinating Committee in Psychiatry, Hospital Authority
Principal Assistant Secretary for Food and Health (Health)3 (Secretary)