â€‹Ms Sandy Cheung will assume the post of District Officer (Southern) tomorrow (March 10), succeeding Mr Francis Cheng.

     Since joining the Administrative Service in 2001, Ms Cheung has served in various bureaux and departments, including the Home Affairs Department, the then Environment, Transport and Works Bureau, the Environmental Protection Department, the then Food and Health Bureau, the Education Bureau, the then Home Affairs Bureau, and the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau.

     She was a Principal Assistant Secretary at the Security Bureau before taking up the new post of District Officer (Southern).

  

     An incoming male passenger was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts yesterday (March 8) for dealing with duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare to Customs Officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
      
     Customs officers intercepted the 41-year-old incoming male passenger at Hong Kong International Airport on March 7 and seized about 41 400 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $186,000 and a duty potential of about $136,000 from his personal baggage. He 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).

  

The following is issued on behalf of the Liquor Licensing Board:

     The Liquor Licensing Board will meet on Tuesday (March 11) to consider an application for new issue of liquor licence.

     The application is:

Hong Kong:
—————
Mootze BBQ in Kennedy Town

     The board will also consider revocation of the liquor licence of SY Kitchen in Kowloon, and consider the application for transfer and renewal of the liquor licence in the absence of consent of the current licensee in respect of "I Want Fish" in Mong Kok.

     The meeting will be held at 9.45am in the conference room, Room 102, 1/F, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai. Members of the public are welcome to attend.

     Following is the speech by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, at the International Karate Training Camp 2025 today (March 9):

     â€‹Good morning everyone, Sensei and fellow athletes!
      
     I can't tell you how excited I am to be here today. As someone who has spent some good years in a karate dogi myself, this feels like coming home. Even now, I can still remember the countless times practicing basic techniques until they became second nature.
      
     Looking around, I see over 50 amazing athletes and seven brilliant coaches from across the globe. The Karatedo Federation of Hong Kong has really outdone themselves in bringing together such an incredible group here today.
      
     Outside of the office as the Deputy Secretary for Justice, I am also an avid sports lover. And karate has always held a special place in my heart. The principles I've learned on the dojo floor – respect, perseverance, and self-control – have been some of the values I carry in everyday life. It's not just about the punches and kicks. It's about that incredible journey we all go through. The discipline of karate teaches us to face challenges with courage, to treat others with respect, and to constantly strive for improvement in everything we do.
      
     To our international friends: welcome to Hong Kong! And to everyone here: get ready for an amazing training camp. I know you'll walk away from this not just as better martial artists, but as better people. Because karate trains both the body and the spirit. So train hard, make friends, and most importantly, have fun!
      
     Thank you all! Oss!

     The Transport Department today (March 9) reminded members of the public that the 48th round of computer ballot registration for submitting applications for Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles (the scheme) will be open from 10am tomorrow (March 10) to 11.59pm on March 13, and the ballot result will be announced on March 14.

     Eligible applicants for the scheme can register for computer balloting through the designated website (www.hzmbqfs.gov.hk). Successful balloting applicants are required to submit applications for the scheme within the designated date and time randomly allocated by the computer system.