â€‹Hong Kong Customs seized about 1.2 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $3.2 million and a duty potential of about $2.7 million at Man Kam To Control Point yesterday (July 18).

     Customs officers intercepted an incoming truck declared as carrying assorted goods at Man Kam To Control Point yesterday morning. After inspection, Customs officers found the batch of suspected illicit cigarettes in 120 carton boxes mix-loaded with other goods on board the truck. 

     The 53-year-old male driver was arrested and the truck was detained. 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 illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

  

     The Government Property Agency is inviting tenders for an 18-month licence of the advertising areas on portions of the external walls of the Star Ferry Car Park at No. 9 Edinburgh Place, Central.

     The advertising areas should be used for the purpose of installation, operation, management, maintenance and control of the Advertising Display Systems (as defined in the Form of Licence Agreement) for display of advertisements only.

     The tender notice was uploaded today (July 19) to the Agency's website: www.gpa.gov.hk.  Tender documents are available for collection at the Government Property Agency, 31/F, Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, during office hours (8.30am to 5.45pm from Mondays to Fridays). The documents can also be downloaded from the Agency's website.

     Interested tenderers who wish to inspect the site should make a prior appointment with the Government Property Agency by calling 2594 7697 on or before July 30 this year.

     Tenderers must submit their tenders by placing them in the Government Logistics Department Tender Box situated on the Ground Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, before noon on August 13 this year. Late tenders and tenders not deposited in the said tender box will not be accepted.
     

     Globally acclaimed artist Akram Khan will bring "XENOS" to Hong Kong in November, marking his final appearance as a solo dancer in a full-length piece. The two performances of "XENOS" form part of the celebration events to mark the 30th anniversary of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre (HKCC).
 
     "XENOS" brings to life the dreams of a colonial Indian soldier stuck in no-man's land. Khan and his stellar creative team unearth the experiences of colonial soldiers who became strangers in the First World War. The dance, which combines Indian folk dance with modern dance, reveals the beauty and horror of the human condition in its portrait of an Indian dancer whose body becomes an instrument of war.
 
     Akram Khan is one of the most celebrated and respected dance artists working today. A highlight of his career was the creation of a section of the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, which was received with unanimous acclaim. He was awarded an MBE for services to dance in 2005. He was also awarded "Best Modern Choreography" in the 2018 National Dance Awards and won "Outstanding Achievement in Dance" at the 2019 Laurence Olivier Awards for "XENOS".
 
     The Hong Kong premiere of Akram Khan's "XENOS" is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. It will be held at 7.30pm on November 15 and 16 (Friday and Saturday) at the HKCC's Grand Theatre. Tickets priced at $200, $280, $350, $420 and $520 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7323 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/dance/programs_812.html.

     The Government Property Agency is inviting tenders for a three-year tenancy of the government property situated at Shop No. 1 on Podium Level 2 of Shun Lee Disciplined Services Quarters, 32 Lee On Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon.

     The premises should only be used for retail or provision of services (excluding TV or Internet game centre, off-course betting centre and mahjong school).

     The tender notice was uploaded today (July 19) to the Agency's website: www.gpa.gov.hk. Tender documents are available for collection at the Government Property Agency, 31/F, Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, during office hours (8.30am to 5.45pm from Mondays to Fridays). The documents can also be downloaded from the Agency's website.

     Interested tenderers who wish to inspect the site should make prior appointment with the Government Property Agency by calling 2594 7654 on or before August 1 this year.

     Tenderers must submit their tenders by placing them in the Government Logistics Department Tender Box situated on the Ground Floor, North Point Government Offices, 333 Java Road, North Point, before noon on August 12 this year. Late tenders will not be accepted.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:
 
     Please broadcast the following special announcement immediately, and repeat it at frequent intervals when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force:
 
     The Labour Department reminds employers that as the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force, they should assess the risk of heat stroke to their employees and adopt effective preventive measures such as providing cool drinking water, setting up temporary sunshade and providing mechanical aids to reduce physical exertion of employees. Employees should drink water regularly and be mindful of their physical condition. If early heat stroke symptoms such as headache and thirst appear, they should rest in a cool or shady place and drink water immediately. They should also inform their supervisors to take appropriate actions.