The Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, started his two-day visit to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) today (May 24) in Guangzhou and Dongguan and will go to Huizhou tomorrow (May 25), to call on units in relation to public security and emergency management, and visit innovation and technology enterprises.
 
     Mr Tang arrived in Guangzhou this morning and called on the Director of the Department of Emergency Management of Guangdong Province, Mr Wang Zaihua. Deputy Head of the Fire and Rescue Corps of Guangdong Province Mr Luo Yunqing was in attendance. Mr Tang expressed his gratitude for their support to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, which enables comprehensive co-operation and teamwork in emergency management. Mr Tang introduced in the meeting the new Greater Bay Area Emergency Response Operational Plan formulated by the HKSAR Government to establish a more comprehensive, pragmatic and systematic emergency response mechanism to further enhance the capability of the GBA cities in handling incidents together. He said that he hopes with the co-ordination of the Department of Emergency Management of Guangdong Province, the GBA cities will study the operational plan and hold joint working meetings to take forward the plan.
 
     Mr Tang then called on the Vice Mayor of Guangzhou cum Director-General of Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau, Mr Zhang Rui, and the Vice Mayor of Dongguan cum Director-General of Dongguan Municipal Public Security Bureau, Mr Qiao Lei, separately to exchange views with them on issues including strengthening emergency management and co-operation, promoting the flow of talent, as well as combatting cross-boundary crimes to strengthen co-operation. The head of Dongguan Municipal Emergency Management Bureau, Mr Dong Tie, also attended the meeting with the Public Security Bureau.
 
     Mr Tang also visited the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation in Guangzhou to learn about its innovation and technology on electronic information as well as advanced equipment and technologies related to law enforcement and emergency response.

          

     Police today (May 24) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Wong Tai Sin.

     Lam Chi-hung, aged 63, went missing after he left his residence in Choi Hung Estate on May 2 afternoon. His family made a report to Police yesterday (May 23).

     He is about 1.65 metres tall, 68 kilograms in weight and of medium build. He has a round face with yellow complexion and short grey hair. He was last seen wearing a white short-sleeved polo shirt, blue short jeans and grey sports shoes.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of Kowloon East on 3661 0331 or 5965 3807 or email to rmpu-ke-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

     â€‹Hong Kong Customs detected two incoming passenger drug trafficking cases at Hong Kong International Airport and seized a total of about 2.5 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $2.7 million over the past two days (May 22 and 23).  

     In the first case, Customs officers on May 22 intercepted at the airport a 42-year-old female passenger, who arrived in Hong Kong from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, via Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Doha, Qatar. During Customs clearance, Customs officers found her to be suspicious, and suspected that she had dangerous drugs concealed inside her body cavity. The woman was then escorted to the hospital for examination. 

     Upon examination, Customs officers confirmed that foreign objects were concealed inside her body cavity on the same day. The woman was arrested immediately. As at 6pm today (May 24), the arrested woman has excreted 127 pellets of suspected cocaine weighing about 1kg in total. The estimated market value was about $1.1 million.  

     In the second case, Customs officers yesterday intercepted at the airport a 68-year-old female passenger arriving in Hong Kong from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, via Doha, Qatar. During Customs clearance on her, Customs officers found about 1.5kg of suspected cocaine, with an estimated market value of about $1.6 million, concealed inside the false compartments of her hand-carry baggage. The woman was subsequently arrested.

     The arrested woman of the first case has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (May 25). For the second case, an investigation is ongoing.

     Following the resumption of normal travel and exchanges with the Mainland and other parts of the world, the number of visitors to Hong Kong has also been increasing steadily. Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.  

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking 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 Hong Kong Housing Authority:

     The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) Subsidised Housing Committee endorsed today (May 24) the implementation of measures to enhance the Marking Scheme for Estate Management Enforcement in Public Housing Estates by increasing penalty points for nine misdeed items related to environmental hygiene, public safety and serious breach of tenancy agreement; and widening the scope of two misdeed items related to environmental hygiene and/or serious breaches of tenancy agreement.

     "To tie in with the Government's proposal to raise the level of fixed penalty for offences related to public cleanliness and obstruction, we have conducted a review on the Marking Scheme and will adopt enhanced measures with a view to providing a safe and hygienic living environment for public rental housing (PRH) residents," a spokesman for the HA said.

     The enhanced measures will take effect in the fourth quarter of 2023. For the revised list of Misdeeds under the Marking Scheme, please see the Annex.

     The penalty points of the following nine misdeed items will be increased:
 

1. "Littering" – from five to seven;
2. "Disposing of refuse indiscriminately" – from five to seven;
3. "Allowing animal and livestock under charge to foul public places with faeces" – from five to seven;
4. "Obstructing corridors or stairs with sundry items rendering cleansing difficult" – from five to seven;
5. "Causing noise nuisance" – from five to seven;
6. "Dumping or disposing of decoration debris indiscriminately at refuse collection point, within building or in other public areas" – from seven to 15;
7. "Damaging down/sewage pipes causing leakage to the flat below" – from seven to 15, and the warning system will no longer be applicable;
8. "Damaging or stealing Housing Authority's property" – from seven to 15; and
9. "Using leased premises for illegal purpose" – from seven to 15.
    

     The scope of the following two misdeed items will be widened:
 

1. "Refusing repair of leaking pipes or sanitary fittings responsible by the tenant" be amended to "Failure to repair pipes or sanitary fittings for which the tenant is responsible or to rectify unauthorised alterations as demanded by HA"; and
2. "Illegal hawking of cooked food" be amended to "Illegal hawking of commodities or services; supplying, promoting, soliciting or advertising of commodities or services that is commercial in nature but without HA’s prior approval".

     "The HA will step up publicity on the revised Marking Scheme, and will issue a gentle reminder to PRH residents prior to implementation," the spokesman said.

     The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, visited industrial infrastructure on the third day of his visit in Singapore today (May 24).

     Professor Sun paid a visit to JTC Corporation, a lead government agency responsible for the development of industrial land and infrastructure to support and catalyse the growth of new industries and enterprises in Singapore, and received a detailed briefing on the corporation's various landmark projects, latest efforts in spearheading sustainable industrial development, and breakthroughs from public-private research collaborations. 

     Professor Sun then toured JTC Corporation's One-north, positioned as a national hub for research and development, which is a vibrant research and business park that houses well-known leading companies from sectors such as biomedical sciences, advanced manufacturing and science and research institutes. A mixed-use estate occupying an area of 200 hectares and divided into eight thematic precincts, the hub can provide a reference for the Government's planning of the San Tin Technopole of the Northern Metropolis that is of a similar scale. 

     He also visited Biopolis, one of the precincts of One-north, which supports the biomedical industry as Singapore's engine of economic growth, where he learned about the conducive environment provided to drug discovery and medical technology research.

     Professor Sun concluded his visit and will return to Hong Kong later tonight.