Hong Kong Customs conducted an anti-narcotics operation between July 4 and yesterday (July 17), and detected six dangerous drugs cases using local co-working spaces and one passenger drug trafficking case at Hong Kong International Airport, seizing a total of about 31 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine and about 5kg of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $20 million.
            
     Through risk assessment, Customs on July 4 inspected an air cargo consignment, declared as a seating chair, arriving in Hong Kong from the United States at the airport. The consignee address was a co-working space on Hong Kong Island. Upon inspection, Customs officers found about 5kg of suspected methamphetamine concealed in the seating chair. Customs revealed that the drug traffickers have attempted to deliver consignments with dangerous drugs to different co-working spaces to evade Customs detection.
      
     After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers found that the consignor concerned adopted the same approach to arrange for five different co-working spaces to receive other consignments, declared as seating chairs and baby toys, arriving in Hong Kong from the United States. The consignment was intercepted on July 5 at the airport and about 20kg of suspected methamphetamine were found concealed in four seating chairs, and about 5kg of suspected cocaine were found concealed in two baby toys. In the six dangerous drugs cases, in which local co-working spaces were being used, Customs seized about 25kg of suspected methamphetamine and about 5kg of suspected cocaine, with a total estimated market value of about $17 million. .
      
     After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers conducted a controlled delivery operation yesterday in Wong Chuk Hang and arrested one male consignee, aged 38. The arrested person has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. He will appear at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (July 19).
      
     â€‹In addition, Hong Kong Customs yesterday detected a passenger drug trafficking case at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 6kg of suspected methamphetamine with an estimated market value of about $3 million.
      
     A 23-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday. During Customs clearance, Customs officers found six bags of suspected methamphetamine, with a total weight of about 6kg, inside his check-in suitcase. The passenger was subsequently arrested.
      
     The arrested man has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. He will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow.
          
     Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not 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.
      
     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).

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (July 18) the list of participants of the stablecoin issuer sandbox. The following institutions (in alphabetical order of their names) will participate in the sandbox with effect from today:

• JINGDONG Coinlink Technology Hong Kong Limited;
• RD InnoTech Limited; and
• Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, Animoca Brands Limited, Hong Kong Telecommunications (HKT) Limited.

 
     During the assessment process, these institutions were able to demonstrate genuine interest in developing a stablecoin issuance business in Hong Kong with a reasonable business plan, and that their proposed operations under the sandbox arrangement would be conducted within a limited scope and in a risk-controllable manner.
      
     The sandbox, which was launched in March 2024, is part of the HKMA's efforts in facilitating the sustainable and responsible development of stablecoin ecosystem in Hong Kong. Through the sandbox, the HKMA allows institutions with plans to issue stablecoin in Hong Kong to conduct testing on their operational plans, and also facilitates the two-way communication on the proposed regulatory requirements, with a view to formulating fit-for-purpose and risk-based regulatory regime.
      
     Sandbox participants are expected to comply with the sandbox requirements. They will not handle the general public's funds at the initial stage, and will not solicit funding from the public or offer any products associated with the sandbox. Members of the public should stay vigilant to potential scams purporting to be related to the sandbox. The HKMA will make separate announcement in case sandbox participants are allowed to handle the general public's funds within a limited scope as a result of adjustments to the testing scope. 
      
     The HKMA will continue to handle enquiries and applications for sandbox participation. Announcements will be made in a timely manner for any new participants joining the sandbox.

     â€‹Vogue Laundry Service Limited was fined $450,000 at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (July 18) for violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance. The prosecution was launched by the Labour Department.

     The case involved a fatal accident that occurred on September 22, 2023, at the loading/unloading bay in Hong Kong International Airport, Lantau Island. A delivery worker fell from the tail lift platform of a truck onto the ground and he passed away 17 days later.

     Owing to the thunderstorm warning, the flag-lowering ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 6pm today (July 18) will be cancelled.

     If the thunderstorm warning is cancelled and weather conditions permit by then, the flag-lowering ceremony may be resumed without further notice.

     The overall Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) caseload in June showed a drop of 442 cases, representing a decrease of 0.2 per cent compared with that of May, according to the latest CSSA caseload statistics released by the Social Welfare Department today (July 18).

     The total CSSA caseload at the end of June stood at 197 964 (see attached table), with a total of 269 567 recipients.

     Analysed by case nature, low-earnings cases registered a month-to-month decrease of 2.0 per cent to 1 477 cases. Ill-health cases decreased by 0.4 per cent to 27 878 cases. Old age cases dropped by 0.3 per cent to 110 905 cases. Both single parent cases and unemployment cases declined by 0.2 per cent to 20 031 cases and 16 697 cases respectively.

     Permanent disability cases registered an increase of 0.1 per cent to 17 042 cases.