Fatal traffic accident in Hung Hom
Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident happened in Hung Hom today (June 17), in which a woman died. At about 6.32am, a medium goods vehicle (MGV) was travell… read more
Tag Archives: China
Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes (with photo)
An incoming female passenger was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment and fined $1,000 at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts today (June 17) 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 39-year-old incoming female passenger at the Lo Wu Control Point on May 29 and seized 9 600 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $39,000 and a duty potential of about $32,000 from her personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.
Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable 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).
Effective Exchange Rate Index
The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 is 103 (up 0.1 against yesterday’s index). read more
Inspection of aquatic products imported from Japan
In response to the Japanese Government’s plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department is conducting comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
From noon on June 16 to noon today (June 17), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 235 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS’s thematic website titled “Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan” (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).
In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD’s website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO’s website (www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
From August 24, 2023, to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 144 314 samples of food imported from Japan (including 94 829 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 32 990 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more
Exchange Fund Bills tender results
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
Exchange Fund Bills tender results:
| Tender date | : | June 17, 2025 |
| Paper on offer | : | EF Bills |
| Issue number | : | Q2525 |
| Issue date | : | June 18, 2025 |
| Maturity date | : | September 17, 2025 |
| Amount applied | : | HK$174,550 MN |
| Amount allotted | : | HK$61,909 MN |
| Average yield accepted | : | 0.78 PCT |
| Highest yield accepted | : | 0.83 PCT |
| Pro rata ratio* | : | About 96 PCT |
| Average tender yield | : | 0.92 PCT |
| **************************** | ||
| Tender date | : | June 17, 2025 |
| Paper on offer | : | EF Bills |
| Issue number | : | H2554 |
| Issue date | : | June 18, 2025 |
| Maturity date | : | December 17, 2025 |
| Amount applied | : | HK$49,880 MN |
| Amount allotted | : | HK$13,000 MN |
| Average yield accepted | : | 1.32 PCT |
| Highest yield accepted | : | 1.35 PCT |
| Pro rata ratio* | : | About 62 PCT |
| Average tender yield | : | 1.53 PCT |
*”Pro rata ratio” refers to the average percentage of allotment with respect to each tender participant’s tendered amount at the “highest yield accepted” level.
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Hong Kong Monetary Authority tenders to be held in the week beginning June 23, 2025:
| Tender date | : | June 24, 2025 |
| Paper on offer | : | EF Bills |
| Issue number | : | Q2526 |
| Issue date | : | June 25, 2025 |
| Maturity date | : | September 24, 2025 |
| Tenor | : | 91 Days |
| Amount on offer | : | HK$63,690 MN |
| **************************** | ||
| Tender date | : | June 24, 2025 |
| Paper on offer | : | EF Bills |
| Issue number | : | H2555 |
| Issue date | : | June 25, 2025 |
| Maturity date | : | December 24, 2025 |
| Tenor | : | 182 Days |
| Amount on offer | : | HK$19,800 MN |