Hong Kong Customs yesterday (August 29) seized about 7 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $5.5 million in Tsing Yi and one man was arrested.
      
     Customs yesterday inspected an express parcel, which was declared as carrying a transformer, arriving from the Mainland at an express courier service centre in Tsing Yi. After inspection, Customs officers found about 7kg of suspected cocaine was concealed inside the transformer. Customs officers subsequently mounted a controlled delivery operation today (August 30) and arrested a 21-year-old man receiving the parcel suspected to be connected with the case in Tai Po.
      
     An investigation is ongoing.
      
     Customs reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods.
      
     Customs will continue to maintain close contact with Hongkong Post and the logistics industries to step up action against drug trafficking through postal parcel or express courier channels.
      
     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) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).

  

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (August 30) that Tai Kok Tsui Swimming Pool in the Yau Tsim Mong District has been temporarily closed for cleaning and superchlorination following the discovery of a small amount of faeces in the pool.

     It will be reopened at 6.30am tomorrow.

     The department appeals to swimmers to be considerate and to keep the swimming pools clean. They are advised not to swim after a full meal and should use the toilet facilities if necessary before swimming. 

     On August 29 (London time), the premises of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (London ETO) were vandalised. Offenders, under the cover of darkness, sprayed indecent and offensive language on the entrance of the London ETO, and defiled the regional emblem of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). A spokesman for the HKSAR Government (HKSARG) expressed today (August 30) strong condemnation of these illegal acts which had been carried out with the intent to threaten others.
 
     The London ETO has notified local police accordingly and stressed that vandals must face legal consequences as soon as possible. The spokesman emphasised that such vandalism is an outright challenge to the HKSARG and reflected the nefarious intentions of destabilising foreign forces to cause chaos and disruption in Hong Kong. The HKSARG must strongly condemn these acts and will pursue legal liability of the individuals involved.
 
     The spokesman called on the British police to handle the matter seriously, and apprehend the culprits with proactive and appropriate actions in accordance with its obligation to safeguard the property of the London ETO and the personal safety of its staff, thereby ensuring that the London ETO can operate without illegal or undue interference.
 
     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSARG has contacted the British Consul-General in Hong Kong to express his deep concern for the incident, and requested the British police to take action to protect the legal rights and interests of the London ETO. The Consul-General undertook to reflect the matter to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom and London Police, and follow-up as appropriate.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (August 30) that a sample of an imported prepackaged meal replacement product was found to contain a pathogen, Salmonella. The CFS is following up on the case. Members of the public should not consume the affected batch of the product. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.

     Product details are as follows:

Product name: Oatmeal Shake
Brand: Nutri D-Day DIET
Place of origin: Korea
Distributor: MUSE DIGITAL LIMITED
Net weight: 25 grams per pouch x 14 pouches
Best-before date: February 5, 2025

     "The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from an online vendor for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed the presence of Salmonella in 25 grams of the sample, exceeding the criterion of the Microbiological Guidelines for Food which states that Salmonella should not be detected in 25g of a ready-to-eat food sample," a spokesman for the CFS said.

     The CFS has informed the online vendor and distributor concerned of the unsatisfactory test result. The concerned vendor has stopped sales and removed the affected product from shelves. The concerned distributor has initiated a recall according to the CFS's instructions. Members of the public may call its hotline at 6038 6312 during office hours for enquiries about the recall.

     "Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and persons with a weak immune system could be more severe and may even lead to death," the spokesman said.

     The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health. The investigation is ongoing.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on Candida auris carrier cases, the spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) gave the following update today (August 30):
 
     Following a contact tracing investigation, one more male patient aged 68 in the High Dependency Unit of Department of Neurosurgery was also identified as a carrier of Candida auris while not having signs of infection. He is in stable condition and now being treated in isolation in Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Wong Tai Sin Hospital.
 
     The hospital will continue the contact tracing investigation of close contacts of the patient in accordance with the prevailing guidelines. A series of enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted to prevent the spread of Candida auris:
 

1. Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the wards concerned;
2. Enhanced admission screening for patients and environmental screening procedures; and
3. Application of stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene of staff and patients.

 
     The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation of the patient. The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.