As the Christmas and New Year holidays are approaching, Hong Kong Customs mounted special anti-illicit cigarette operations in the past week to intercept illicit cigarettes in the upper stream and detected two large-scale illicit cigarette smuggling cases on December 1 and 7. About 53 million suspected illicit cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $150 million and a duty potential of about $100 million, were seized in Tai Kok Tsui and Sheung Shui.

     In the first case, Customs officers intercepted two container trucks near Hoi Fai Road, Tai Kok Tsui, in the morning of December 1. Upon inspection, about 21 million suspected illicit cigarettes were seized inside two 40-foot containers. Two male drivers, aged 54 and 60, suspected to be connected with the case were arrested. After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers searched two 40-foot containers inside a container yard at Jockey Club Road and a metal hut at Man Kam To Road in Sheung Shui respectively on the same day, and further seized about 21 million suspected illicit cigarettes.

     In the second case, Customs officers intercepted a container truck inside a container yard near Tai Tau Leng Village in Sheung Shui in the evening of December 7. Upon inspection, about 11 million suspected illicit cigarettes were seized inside a 40-foot container. A 58-year-old male driver suspected to be connected with the case was arrested.

     Investigations of the two above-mentioned cases are ongoing. Customs will continue to trace the source and flow of the illicit cigarettes. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.

     Including the suspected illicit cigarettes seized in this operation, Customs had seized about 694 million suspected illicit cigarettes this year as at December 7, exceeding last year's total seizure amount of about 427 million suspected illicit cigarettes by 60 per cent.

     As the Christmas and New Year holidays are approaching, Customs believes that illicit cigarette syndicates took the opportunity to smuggle a large quantity of illicit cigarettes in order to ensure a stable supply for the local or overseas illicit cigarette markets. Moreover, the syndicate stored illicit cigarettes in different districts in order to diversify the risk and to minimise the loss after being detected.

     Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multi-pronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to spare no effort in combating illicit cigarette activities.

     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.

     Customs reminds members of the public that it is an offence to buy or sell illicit cigarettes. Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying 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 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

  

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (December 9) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Hamlin County of the State of South Dakota and Washington County of the State of Maryland in the United States (US), the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 10 650 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 227.48 million poultry eggs from the US in the first nine months of this year. 

     "The CFS has contacted the American authority over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

     â€‹The Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene has ordered a restaurant in Yau Ma Tei to suspend business for 21 days, as the operator repeatedly breached the Food Business Regulation (FBR) by extending the business area illegally.
      
     The restaurant, located at Shop 1 on the ground floor of 47-57 Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei, was ordered to suspend business from today (December 9) to December 29.
      
     "Four convictions for the above-mentioned breach were recorded against the restaurant between last September and this July with a total fine of $28,300 levied by the court. Sixty demerit points were also registered against the licensee under the department's demerit points system, leading to seven-day and 14-day licence suspensions running consecutively," a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said.
      
     The spokesman reminded licensees of food premises to comply with the FBR, or their licences could be suspended or cancelled.
      
     Licensed food premises are required to exhibit a sign at a conspicuous place near the main entrance, indicating that the premises have been licensed. A list of licensed food premises is available on the FEHD's website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/index.html).

     The Development Bureau and the Harbourfront Commission have launched pop-up Christmas installations at seven harbourfront sites, followed by a series of fascinating Christmas singing and dancing performances as well as workshops to show off the vibrant harbourfront.
 
     Inheriting the concept of Harbourfront is One and All, the Christmas activities are held under the theme "Your Show Time" at seven harbourfront sites, namely the Belcher Bay Promenade in Kennedy Town, the Connector in Admiralty along the promenade between Tamar Park and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, the HarbourChill in Wan Chai, the Water Sports and Recreation Precinct in Wan Chai, the Revitalised Typhoon Shelter Precinct in Causeway Bay, the East Coast Park Precinct in Fortress Hill and the Tsuen Wan Promenade. Each of the sites has been turned into Christmas performance stages where the public can enjoy the shows with the dazzling harbour as a backdrop.
 
     Each of the seven harbourfront sites is decorated with a Christmas tree and installations under the theme of a particular music or dance style:
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• A gigantic 11-metre-tall waltz-themed Christmas tree is erected at the HarbourChill in Wan Chai, accompanied by Christmas orchestral music from a music box installation to create a romantic atmosphere;
• Local artist Messy Desk has designed a colourful, pop music-themed Christmas tree for the Belcher Bay Promenade in Kennedy Town. Children can play in the music tunnels under the tree and ride the mini music carts;  
• The Connector in Admiralty along the promenade between Tamar Park and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is decorated with snowy lights and Christmas sledges, as well as a Christmas tree showcasing the graceful dancing posture of ballerinas to portray a ballet theme;
• The highlight of the Water Sports and Recreation Precinct in Wan Chai is a Christmas tree made of LED lights with rock music as the theme. The brightly coloured inflatable installations of rock music instruments further inject an energetic Christmas vibe to the site;
• At the Revitalised Typhoon Shelter Precinct in Causeway Bay, a ribbon-wrapped Christmas tree presents an elegant swirling visual effect. People can imitate different ribbon dance postures with the installations on-site;   
• Under the theme of jazz music, the Christmas tree at the East Coast Park Precinct in Fortress Hill is made of metal chimes of various lengths, transforming it into a percussion instrument. A number of three-dimensional Christmas installations are also available at the venue; and
• The Tsuen Wan Promenade carries the theme of tap dancing. Adorable little penguins showing tap dancing poses bring a lively rhythm to the promenade.

     The Government and the Harbourfront Commission will arrange music shows, ribbon dance performances and Christmas workshops at four harbourfront sites, namely the Belcher Bay Promenade in Kennedy Town, the HarbourChill in Wan Chai, the Water Sports and Recreation Precinct in Wan Chai and the Tsuen Wan Promenade, for three consecutive weekends starting tomorrow (December 10). Members of the public are welcome to join the activities which are free of charge. For details on the activities, please visit the Harbourfront Commission’s website (www.hfc.org.hk/en/hss/index.html).

     The Christmas pop-up installations and activities are under the exclusive sponsorship of the Hong Kong Jockey Club as one of the initiatives to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

                

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (December 9) said that four new confirmed melioidosis infection cases had been recorded in the past week (December 3 to 9). All of them live in Sham Shui Po. The CHP's epidemiological investigations revealed that these cases were not recently infected, and developed symptoms during the period from mid-August to early November. They were confirmed to have been infected with melioidosis upon further testing recently.

     The first case involves a 93-year-old female who has multiple underlying illnesses. She developed a fever and vomiting since October 15. She attended the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department of Caritas Medical Centre (CMC) and was admitted on the same day. She was later discharged after her condition became stable. She was hospitalised again on November 14 due to persistent fever and was discharged on November 21. She attended the A&E Department of CMC on November 24 due to vomiting and was admitted for treatment. She is still hospitalised and her current condition is stable. Her blood specimen was confirmed positive for Burkholderia pseudomallei upon testing.

     The second case involves an 86-year-old female who has multiple underlying illnesses. She has developed a persistent fever and poor appetite since August 13 and attended the A&E Department of CMC on September 24. She was admitted on the same day and was later discharged after her condition became stable. She developed foot swelling since November 8 and attended the A&E Department of Princess Margaret Hospital on November 12, and was admitted for treatment. She is still hospitalised and her current condition is stable. Her ankle abscess specimen was confirmed positive for Burkholderia pseudomallei upon testing.

     The third case involves a 65-year-old male who has diabetes and blood lipid disorder. He developed loin pain and urinary discomfort on October 21 and sought medical consultation from a private doctor. He attended the A&E Department of CMC on November 28 under referral due to persistent symptoms as well as fever and abdominal pain. He was admitted on the same day. He is still hospitalised and his current condition is stable. His blood and liver abscess specimens were confirmed positive for Burkholderia pseudomallei upon testing.

     The fourth case involves a 90-year-old female who has multiple underlying illnesses. She developed haematuria and leg swelling since November 7 and sought medical consultation at a general out-patient clinic. She attended the A&E Department of CMC on November 16 due to persistent symptoms and fever. She was admitted on the same day. She is still hospitalised and her current condition is serious. Her blood specimen was confirmed positive for Burkholderia pseudomallei upon testing.

     Epidemiological investigations of the aforementioned cases are ongoing. A total of 42 melioidosis infection cases have been recorded in Hong Kong so far this year, among which 26 cases living in Sham Shui Po were recorded since August.

     The Government has earlier gazetted to include melioidosis as a statutorily notifiable infectious disease under Schedule 1 to the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599). The CHP will continue to work closely with the Hospital Authority to enhance surveillance against melioidosis cases.
 
     With the CHP's epidemiological investigations earlier and various measures, a notable drop in the number of melioidosis infection cases over the past few weeks has been observed. Counting by the onset date of symptoms, 12, eight and 11 cases were recorded in August, September and October this year respectively. During the past month or so from November till today, only two cases had onset of symptoms with the latest one developing symptoms on November 7.

     A spokesman for the CHP reiterated that person-to-person transmission and animal-to-human transmission are rare, but melioidosis bacteria can survive in the local environment. Melioidosis is an endemic disease in Hong Kong and melioidosis cases have been recorded in Hong Kong each year. According to literature, infection cases are more common after typhoons or storms. The bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei of melioidosis in soil and muddy water may become exposed to the ground after typhoons or storms, and the bacteria could spread more easily with strong winds or storms. As such, the number of melioidosis cases may increase.

     â€‹The CHP appealed to members of the public to seek medical advice if they develop symptoms, in particular people with diabetes or other immunocompromised conditions, in order to receive appropriate medical diagnosis and treatment. For more information on melioidosis, please visit the website of the CHP at www.chp.gov.hk/en/healthtopics/content/24/101110.html.