Hong Kong Customs seized a total of 320 computer central processing units, 300 computer rams, 10 smartphones and 6 350 grams of raw amber rock at Shenzhen Bay Control Point yesterday (June 26) and today (June 27) with an estimated market value of about $560,000.

     Customs officers yesterday and today separately intercepted three outgoing private vehicles at Shenzhen Bay Control Point.  Upon inspection, a total of 320 computer centrl processing units, 300 computer rams, 10 smartphones and 6 350 grams of raw amber rock were found on the false compartments of the three vehicles. The three male drivers, aged 30, 36 and 43, were arrested.

     Investigations are ongoing.

     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.

     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 Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang, visited two pharmaceutical firms in Basel today (June 27, Zurich time) and met with officials from Switzerland in Zurich before concluding his visit to Europe.
 
     Mr Yang's programme in Basel covered visits to Novartis and Roche. Encouraging more research and development to improve healthcare services and seeking opportunities for collaboration, Mr Yang updated the pharmaceutical industry on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government's plan to form two research clusters with HK$10 billion in dedicated funding for healthcare technologies and artificial intelligence and robotics at the Hong Kong Science Park. These two areas tie in with Hong Kong's research and development strengths and capabilities.
 
     In the afternoon, Mr Yang called on the Mayor of Zurich, Ms Corine Mauch. He said he was pleased to see the Mayor again after the Smart City Conference held in Hong Kong as part of the Zurich Meets Hong Kong festival in late 2017. With the HKSAR Government having released the Smart City Blueprint for Hong Kong, Mr Yang said he looked forward to forging more collaboration between Hong Kong and Zurich.
 
     Mr Yang then paid a courtesy call on the Chinese Consul-General in Zurich, Mr Zhao Qinghua, and Government Councillor of Zurich Ms Carmen Walker Späh before concluding his day visit to Switzerland.
 
     Joining Mr Yang for the visit were the Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Mr Albert Wong, and the Biotechnology Director of the Innovation and Technology Commission, Dr Cecilia Pang.
 
     With the completion of his three-nation European visit to France, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, Mr Yang left Zurich in the evening and will arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow afternoon (June 28).

    

     Hong Kong Customs today (June 27) arrested a female owner cum saleslady of a beauty parlour suspected of engaging in unfair trade practices involving misleading omission in the sale of beauty service, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).

     Customs earlier received information alleging that a female owner cum saleslady of a beauty parlour in Ngau Tau Kok failed to timely provide the information about the restriction imposed on the use of the beauty service procured by customers, causing customers to make a transactional decision to use such service.

     After investigation, Customs officers today arrested a 47-year-old woman.

     Investigation is ongoing and the arrested woman has been released on bail pending further investigation.

     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 violations of the TDO to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, addressing the Smart City Summit 2018 organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong this morning (June 27), said that Hong Kong has clear advantages in developing innovation and technology (I&T) and that the Government is currently pushing ahead with development at full steam in accordance with the eight-pronged approach set earlier with the devotion of a large amount of resources. She said she is confident that with the support of the Central Government, Hong Kong will be developed as a world-class I&T hub and smart city.

     Noting in her keynote speech at the Summit that Hong Kong's I&T development is supported by sound technological foundations and outstanding capability in scientific research with the convergence of top universities, research institutes and high-quality professional scientific research talent from around the world, she said that most important of all is the unique advantage of "One Country, Two Systems" and the city's proximity to the huge Mainland market. She said that with the impetus brought about by the two major national strategies, namely the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong Macao Bay Area, Hong Kong is set to be presented with unprecedented opportunity in I&T development. She said Hong Kong has world-class information infrastructure and is among the world's top five fastest growing start-up ecosystems. The number of start-ups has doubled to some 2,200 from 2014 to 2017. Venture capital has surged significantly from US$80 million in 2012 to about US$1,100 million in 2017. The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and Cyberport provide space for I&T enterprises, as too will the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park to be developed at the Lok Ma Chau Loop area.

     "The most important thing is to increase resources in research and development. In order to do this, it is not just the question of the Government putting in money. We want also the private sector to invest more, so the Government launched tax incentives. And we want to attract more tech-intense companies or research institutions to Hong Kong by building up two important clusters, one focusing on healthcare technologies and the other on artificial intelligence and robotics technologies," Mrs Lam said on the Government's strategy in I&T development.

     On the development of smart city, Mrs Lam introduced various initiatives in the six major areas of the Smart City Blueprint for Hong Kong released in December last year, which comprise "Smart Mobility", "Smart Living", "Smart Environment", "Smart People", "Smart Government" and "Smart Economy". She expressed the hope that the Summit could provide more ideas for Hong Kong's smart city development.

     After delivering the speech, Mrs Lam chatted with Sophia, a robot developed by a start-up in the Hong Kong Science Park. During the chat, Mrs Lam said she hopes that the community will work together to develop Hong Kong into a smart city.

        

     Hong Kong Customs today (June 27) seized about 29 000 kilograms of suspected Guatemalan rosewood from a container at the Tsing Yi Customs Cargo Examination Compound. The estimated market value of the seizure was about $1.15 million.

     Through risk assessment, Customs officers inspected a container arriving in Hong Kong from Honduras. Upon inspection, Customs officers found the suspected Guatemalan rosewood in the container.

     The case was handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for follow-up investigation.

     Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting an endangered species without a licence is liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for ten years.

     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).