Hong Kong Customs yesterday (January 24) seized about 4.2 kilograms of suspected ketamine with an estimated market value of about $2 million at Hong Kong International Airport.

     A male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand yesterday afternoon. During Customs clearance, Customs officers found 17 packets of suspected ketamine wrapped as snacks in his luggage. The man was then arrested.

     The arrested man, aged 27, has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. He will appear at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (January 26).

     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).

  

     Following is the transcript of remarks at a media standup by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, after attending the Hong Kong Housing Authority Regular Open Meeting today (January 25):

Reporter: There are a number of calls from the members just now for the redevelopment of old housing estates, will the government take this suggestion seriously and is there plan to change the eligibility criteria for elderly applicants for PRH?
 
Secretary for Transport and Housing: As of today, we have no plan to change the eligibility of the elderly but we will keep close watch on government policy, community aspiration and on-going development. As far as the redevelopment of public (rental) housing (is concerned), we do have taken it very seriously in terms of the availability of public rental housing for those in need of adequate housing and also to expedite the moving in (of the tenants) of the public rental housing. Also we have to take into account the cost-effectiveness of redevelopment, the potential of redevelopment. All these factors we have to take into account so as to make the best use of public housing resources to enable more people to live in public rental housing, and also subsidised sale flats.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     â€‹The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), jointly with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), raided an unlicensed food factory in Tin Sam Village, Yuen Long, this morning (January 25).
      
     A 74-year-old man was arrested and will be charged with keeping livestock without a licence and operating an unlicensed food factory (for dressing quails), which are in contravention of Section 3 of the Public Health (Animals and Birds) (Licensing of Livestock Keeping) Regulation (Cap 139L) and Section 31(1) of the Food Business Regulation (Cap 132X).
      
     During the operation, FEHD and AFCD officers seized 11kg of dressed quails, 2577 live quails, 2933 quail eggs and three hatchers.
      
     Under the Food Business Regulation (Cap 132X), anyone operating an unlicensed food factory commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.
      
     "The FEHD will continue to take stringent enforcement action against unlicensed food factory activities," a spokesman for the FEHD said.
      
     "Members of the public can report any suspected unlicensed food factory activities by calling the FEHD hotline 2868 0000."

  

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited on phishing email, which has been reported to the HKMA. Hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website for ease of reference by members of the public.
 
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the email concerned or has conducted any financial transactions through the email should contact the bank concerned using the contact information provided in the press release, and report to the Police or contact the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

     The Secretary for Security, Mr John Lee, visited Sha Tin District this afternoon (January 25), meeting with members of the Sha Tin District Council to learn more about the law and order situation and livelihood conditions of the local community. He also visited a drug treatment and rehabilitation centre.
 
      Accompanied by the District Officer (Sha Tin), Miss Amy Chan, Mr Lee first met with members of the Sha Tin District Council to exchange views on issues relating to the local law and order situation and people's livelihood.
 
     Mr Lee then visited the Adult Female Rehabilitation Centre of the Society for the Aid and Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers. The Centre provides voluntary residential drug treatment and rehabilitation services to female drug abusers aged 30 or above to help them quit drugs and establish healthy lifestyles.
 
     Mr Lee was briefed on the services and facilities of the Centre. He also chatted with volunteers who had received services of the Centre and successfully quit drugs. He said he was pleased to see that the Centre offered a variety of services, including individual counselling, therapeutic groups and life skills and job-seeking skills training, to equip rehabilitees for reintegration into society.
 
     Expressing appreciation to the volunteers for supporting drug treatment and rehabilitation services, Mr Lee encouraged them to maintain a positive life attitude and continue to serve the community. He also encouraged the residents who were undergoing drug treatment and rehabilitation to make good use of the Centre's resources to increase their resilience and self-confidence for positively braving future challenges.