The National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force today (June 6) arrested three men and three women, aged between 33 and 64, in various districts of Hong Kong, for suspected of "conspiracy to forgery", contravening Section 159A and 71 of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 200). The 33-year-old man and the 64-year-old woman were also suspected of "doing an act or acts with seditious intention", contravening Section 9 and 10 of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 200).
                               
     Investigation revealed that the six arrested persons were suspected of forging signatures on documents. The 33-year-old man and the 64-year-old woman were suspected of endangering national security by repeatedly publishing posts with seditious intention on social media platforms which brought into hatred against the Central Authorities and the HKSAR Government, advocated Hong Kong independence and incited the use of violence.

     Police conducted searches at the arrested persons' residences with court warrants. Some electronic communication devices and related documents were seized.

     The six arrested persons are being detained for further enquiries.

     Police remind members of the public that "doing an act or acts with seditious intention" is a serious crime. Offenders shall be liable upon conviction to imprisonment for two years on first conviction. Members of the public are urged not to defy the law.

     The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Victor Liu, today (June 6) attended the 10th anniversary ceremony of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Asia and Pacific Regional Sub-Office (APAC RSO) in Beijing by invitation. Officiated by the Administrator of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), Mr Song Zhiyong, and the Secretary General of the ICAO, Mr Juan Carlos Salazar, the ceremony was attended by representatives of civil aviation authorities and industry partners.
 
     The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) has been actively engaged in the work and activities of the ICAO. This includes promoting the initiatives of the Regional Aviation Safety Group – Asia Pacific Region, participating in meetings of the Asia Pacific Air Navigation Planning and Implementation Regional Group, and seconding CAD officers to the APAC RSOs in Beijing, China, and Bangkok, Thailand. Through co-operation and exchanges with aviation authorities of the region as well as international organisations, the development of the aviation industry in the Asia-Pacific region is further promoted.
 
     Mr Liu arrived in Beijing yesterday (June 5). During his visit to Beijing, Mr Liu called on the CAAC and representatives of the CAAC's Office of Aviation Safety to exchange views on issues including flight safety. Mr Liu also visited the China Academy of Civil Aviation Science and Technology to learn about the new opportunities brought about to the civil aviation industry by technological development.

     Accompanying Mr Liu to Beijing was the Acting Assistant Director-General of Civil Aviation (Air Services and Safety Management), Mr Michael Yuen.

     Mr Liu will return to Hong Kong tomorrow (June 7).

    

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (June 6) that a sample of prepackaged preserved mustard greens was found to contain sulphur dioxide, a preservative which is allowed to be used in certain foods, but the functional class and the name of the additive were not declared on the food label of the sample concerned. Members of the public should not consume the affected batch of the product. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately if they possess it.

     Product details are as follows:

Product name: Wing Ley Hao Dried Vegetable VEGETAL CONFITS
Brand: (Not available in English)
Net weight: 454 grams
Place of origin: China
Distributor: Wing Lee Ho Company Limited
Use by date: September 17, 2024

     "The CFS collected the above-mentioned preserved mustard greens sample from a retail outlet in Wan Chai for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained sulphur dioxide. Although the sulphur dioxide level is below the maximum permitted level under the Preservatives in Food Regulation (Cap. 132BD), the functional class and the name of the additive were not declared on the food label of the sample concerned," a CFS spokesman said.

     "The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop sale and remove from shelves the affected batch of the product. According to the CFS's instructions, the distributor concerned has initiated a recall on the affected batch of the product. Members of the public may call its hotline at 2540 4611 during office hours for enquiries about the recall of the product concerned," the spokesman added.

     Sulphur dioxide is a commonly used preservative in a variety of foods including dried vegetables, dried fruits, pickled vegetables and salted fish products. Sulphur dioxide is water soluble, and most of it can be removed through washing and cooking. However, susceptible individuals who are allergic to this preservative may experience breathing difficulties, headaches and nausea after consumption.

     The spokesman reminded the food trade that the use of preservatives in food must comply with the Preservatives in Food Regulation (Cap. 132BD). Furthermore, the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations (Cap. 132W) require that prepackaged food shall be legibly marked or labelled with a list of ingredients. The regulations also state that for all prepackaged food for sale in Hong Kong containing sulphite in a concentration of 10 parts per million or more, the functional class of the sulphite and its name shall be specified in the list of ingredients. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment upon conviction.

      The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. An investigation is ongoing.

     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, will depart for Geneva, Switzerland, tomorrow evening (June 7) to attend the 111th Session of the International Labour Conference, as part of the delegation of the People's Republic of China (PRC). He will be joined by the Commissioner for Labour, Ms May Chan, as well as employee and employer members of the Labour Advisory Board.

     While in Geneva, Mr Sun will call on the Regional Director for the International Labour Organization Office for Asia and the Pacific; government, employer and employee representatives of the PRC delegation; and the Permanent Mission of the PRC to the United Nations Office at Geneva and Other International Organizations in Switzerland. He will also visit a tertiary institution in Lausanne.

     Mr Sun will arrive in Hong Kong on June 12 afternoon. In his absence, the Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Ho Kai-ming, will be the Acting Secretary for Labour and Welfare.

     Police today (June 6) laid a holding charge against a 29-year-old non-ethnic Chinese woman with three counts of murder.

     The woman was arrested on June 5 in suspected connection with a murder happened in Sham Shui Po, in which three non-ethnic Chinese girls aged 2, 4 and 5 years old died.

     The case will be mentioned at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (June 7) morning.