The Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) yesterday (December 1) during a joint operation with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) seized 624 suspected smuggled hairy crabs with an estimated market value of about $60,000 at Lok Ma Chau Control Point.

     C&ED officers intercepted an incoming private car at Lok Ma Chau Control Point for inspection yesterday afternoon and seized a total of 624 suspected smuggled hairy crabs from 10 baskets in the vehicle. The 39-year-old male driver was arrested and has been put on bail pending further investigation. Investigation is ongoing.

     The C&ED reminds members of the public that 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.

     The FEHD said that according to the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132), all food available for sale in Hong Kong, locally produced or imported, should be fit for human consumption. An offender is subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.

     The C&ED and FEHD will continue to maintain close co-operation and intelligence exchange with each other and conduct joint operations to combat the illegal import of food.

     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to the 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 Liquor Licensing Board:

     The Liquor Licensing Board will meet on Tuesday (December 4) to consider an application for new issue of liquor licence in Kowloon.

     The application is:
 
STEAMHOTPOT in Tsim Sha Tsui
 
     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, except during the private session on confidential items.
 

     Following is the speech by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, at the launch ceremony of the SHKP Vertical Run for Charity – Race to Hong Kong ICC at the International Commerce Centre today (December 2):

     Welcome all the participants and top runners of the world. The idea of choosing ICC as the venue for this Vertical Run is very appropriate – "I" stands for "inclusion", "C" stands for "care", the other "C" stands for "compassion" or "cohesion". We are talking about cohesion, inclusion, care and compassion. Also, the event not only promotes sports and international competition, but also promotes health and cohesion in the community. So no matter how you look at it, it's a perfect programme. This year's proceeds will all go to the Community Chest – the "cc" again. So ICC is really a community building at its best. So on that note, I wish you all the best and all the top runners excellent performance.

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

      

     Police advise motorists that special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Sha Tin to facilitate the race meeting today (December 2).

     The arrangements will come into effect two hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting.

     Appropriate traffic signs will be put up and police will be on hand to guide motorists.

     The Police also appeal to people going to Sha Tin Racecourse for the race meeting and to Happy Valley Racecourse for cross betting to make maximum use of public transport.

     Parking spaces at the two racecourses are available only to holders of appropriate permits issued by Hong Kong Jockey Club and any vehicles illegally parked will be towed away.

     The Smart Traffic Control System on Tai Tam Road (Dam Section), which uses video analytic technology to adjust the duration of green signals, was commissioned in August.
 
     News.gov.hk interviewed Transport Department engineers to see how the system helps reduce traffic delays on one of Hong Kong's narrowest stretches of road. 
 
     The story appears on news.gov.hk today (December 2) in text and video format.