Appeal for information on missing woman in Kwai Chung (with photo)

     Police today (August 2) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Kwai Chung. 
      
     To Yuk-ying, aged 65, went missing after she was last seen at Kwai Fong MTR Station yesterday (August 1) afternoon. Her family made a report to Police on the same day. 
      
     She is about 1.55 metres tall, 59 kilograms in weight and of medium build. She has a pointed face with yellow complexion and short straight black hair. She was last seen wearing a black and white short-sleeved shirt, grey checkered trousers, grey shoes and carrying an orange rucksack.
      
     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of Kowloon East on 3661 0316 or 9020 2746, or email to rmpu-ke-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.
     

Photo  



Effective Exchange Rate Index

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, August 2, 2018 is 104 (same as yesterday's index).




Special traffic arrangements on Hong Kong Island

     Police will implement special traffic arrangements to facilitate a public procession to be held on Hong Kong Island this Saturday (August 4).

A. Road closure
     
     The following roads will be intermittently closed from 9am until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

– Tin Chiu Street;
– Marble Road;
– Kam Hong Street;
– Westbound King’s Road;
– Shell Street;
– Merlin Street;
– Electric Road;
– Java Road;
– Power Street; and
– City Garden Road.

B. Suspension of parking spaces
     
     Metered parking spaces No. 3040(A), 3040(B), 3041(A) and 3041(B) at Marble Road will be suspended between 10pm on August 3 and 12noon the following day.

     Vehicles may not be permitted to access or leave car parks along the procession route during the road closure period.

     Actual implementation of the traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the area. Motorists are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.




Twenty-one immigration offenders arrested

      The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations, including an operation codenamed "Twilight," and joint operations with the Hong Kong Police Force and the Labour Department codenamed "Champion" and "Powerplayer", from July 30 to August 1. A total of 13 illegal workers, five suspected employers and three overstayers were arrested.
 
      During operation "Twilight", ImmD Task Force officers raided 29 target locations including a factory, garbage collection depots, industrial buildings, industrial flats, an office, recycling shops, residential buildings, restaurants, retail shops and warehouses. Nine illegal workers and five employers were arrested. The illegal workers comprised four men and five women, aged 20 to 63. Among them, a man and a woman were suspected of using and being in possession of forged Hong Kong identity cards. Meanwhile, four men and a woman, aged 28 to 54, were suspected of employing the illegal workers.
 
      During operation "Champion", enforcement officers raided 30 target locations in Cheung Sha Wan and Lai Chi Kok districts, including an elderly home, industrial buildings and warehouses. Two female overstayers, aged 35 and 52, were arrested.
 
      Furthermore, during operation "Powerplayer", enforcement officers raided nine target car recycling yards in Yuen Long and Pat Heung districts. Four illegal workers were arrested. The illegal workers comprised four men, aged 23 to 52. Among them, three men were holders of recognisance forms, which prohibit them from taking any employment. In addition, a male overstayer, aged 28, was arrested.
 
      "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties," an ImmD spokesman said.
 
      The spokesman warned that, as stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, illegal immigrants or people who are the subject of a removal order or a deportation order are prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment. The Court of Appeal has issued a guideline ruling that a sentence of 15 months' imprisonment should be applied in such cases. It is an offence to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card or a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and a maximum penalty of a $100,000 fine and up to 10 years' imprisonment.
 
      The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for three years and a fine of $350,000. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence. According to court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. The maximum penalty for failing to inspect such a document is imprisonment for one year and a fine of $150,000.
 
      Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD, as a standard procedure, will conduct initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threat and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent interference, medical services, counselling, shelter, temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments.
 




Land Registry releases statistics for July

     The Land Registry today (August 2) released its statistics for July 2018.
 
Land registration
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* The number of sale and purchase agreements for all building units received for registration in July was 8,466 (-8.5 per cent compared with June but +55.0 per cent compared with July 2017)

* The 12-month moving average for July was 7,569 (3.4 per cent above the 12-month moving average for June and 1.6 per cent above that for July 2017)

* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements in July was $99.4 billion (+23.0 per cent compared with June and +117.1 per cent compared with July 2017)

* Among the sale and purchase agreements, 6,091 were for residential units (-9.3 per cent compared with June but +73.3 per cent compared with July 2017)

* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements in respect of residential units was $65.2 billion (-4.1 per cent compared with June but +96.4 per cent compared with July 2017)

     Statistics on sales of residential units do not include sale and purchase agreements relating to sales of units under the Home Ownership Scheme, the Private Sector Participation Scheme and the Tenants Purchase Scheme unless the premium of the unit concerned has been paid after the sale restriction period.

     Figures on sale and purchase agreements received for the past 12 months, the year-on-year rate of change and breakdown figures on residential sales have also been released.

     As deeds may not be lodged with the Land Registry until up to 30 days after the transaction, these statistics generally relate to land transactions in the previous month.
 
Land search
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* The number of searches of land registers made by the public in July was 483,658 (+5.3 per cent compared with June and +11.3 per cent compared with July 2017)

     The statistics cover searches made at the counter, through the self-service terminals and via the Integrated Registration Information System Online Services.