Correctional officers at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre today (April 18) intercepted a male remand person in custody smuggling suspected dangerous drugs into the centre by concealing them inside his body.

     The 30-year-old person in custody was remanded in the institution for the offence of possession of dangerous drugs on April 17. After undergoing X-ray body scanning, he was suspected to have swallowed suspected dangerous drugs before admission and was therefore separated and put under close monitoring.

     At 9.30am today, he discharged 11 packs of suspected dangerous drugs wrapped in plastic sheet. The case has been reported to the Police for follow-up.

     A spokesperson for the Correctional Services Department said, "The department takes every measure to stop the introduction of dangerous drugs or unauthorised articles into correctional institutions in order to maintain good order and discipline and a drug-free environment for all persons in its custody."

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (HKETO, Brussels) is supporting the screening of five Hong Kong films at the 37th Brussels International Fantasy, Fantastic, Thriller and Science Fiction Film Festival (BIFFF), which is taking place in Brussels, Belgium, from April 9 to 21 (Brussels time).

     The five Hong Kong films being screened at the 37th BIFFF are "Bodies at Rest" by Renny Harlin, "Chasing the Dragon" by Wong Jing and Jason Kwan, "Golden Job" by Chin Kar-lok, "The Golden Monk" by Billy Chung and Wong Jing and "Kung Fu Monster" by Andrew Lau. Among them, "Kung Fu Monster" was chosen as the festival's special screening for schoolchildren aged 9 to 12, introducing the younger generation to fantasy films.
 
     A reception hosted by HKETO, Brussels was held on April 17 (Brussels time) to highlight the participation of Hong Kong films in the BIFFF. The reception was followed by a screening of "Bodies at Rest".
 
     Speaking at the reception, the Deputy Representative of HKETO, Brussels, Miss Fiona Chau, said Hong Kong has one of the largest and most dynamic entertainment industries in the world, with 53 locally produced films released in 2018. She said Hong Kong films are the strongest testimony of the vibrant creativity and unique culture of the city. 

     The BIFFF is the most important festival of its kind in Europe. Some 100 films from the fantasy, horror, thriller and science-fiction genres are being screened at the BIFFF this year. The BIFFF is also known for its enthusiastic audience participation and attracts huge media coverage.

  

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) Committees will hold 11 open meetings and a closed meeting during the week from April 22 to 27 April in the LegCo Complex. Details of the meetings are available in the meeting schedule attached.
 
     The information in the meeting schedule is subject to change. Please refer to the "LegCo Calendar" on the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk) for the latest details of meetings.
 
     Members of the public are welcome to observe open meetings of LegCo Committees. Interested individuals and groups are advised to make advance booking of seats by calling the LegCo Secretariat at 3919 3399 during office hours. Members of the public can also listen to or watch all open meetings via the "Webcast" system on the LegCo Website.

     The latest test results of the opening-up investigation in the second stage of the holistic assessment strategy for the Hung Hom Station Extension under the Shatin to Central Link (SCL) project (as at April 18) are now available at the Highways Department's website for the SCL project (www.hyd.gov.hk/en/road_and_railway/railway_projects/scl/index.html) for reference by the public.

     A female owner cum salesperson of a beauty parlour was sentenced to a 12-month probation order today (April 18) after the conviction for engaging in misleading omission, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO), on March 28 at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts. She was also ordered to pay compensation of $936 in total to the two victims.

     Hong Kong Customs earlier received information alleging that a female owner cum salesperson of a beauty parlour in Ngau Tau Kok had engaged in unfair trade practices in the supply of beauty service.

     After investigation, it was revealed that the female owner cum salesperson hid the material information that the procured beauty treatment package could not be used during Chinese New Year. She also provided the material information in an unclear or untimely manner, namely she had not informed the consumers that the facial treatment administered to them was not the treatment they had procured in the package. The owner as a result requested the two customers to pay extra fees.

     Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to procure services at reputable shops.

     Under the TDO, any trader who engages in a commercial practice that omits or hides material information or provides material information in a manner that is unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely and as a result causes, or is likely to cause, an average consumer to make a transactional decision commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected violation of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).