Hong Kong Customs on August 8 detected a dangerous drugs internal concealment case involving one incoming passenger at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and seized about 770 grams of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $850,000.
      
     The male passenger, aged 27, arrived in Hong Kong from Brazil via Dubai and Bangkok on August 8. During Customs clearance at HKIA, Customs officers found him to be suspicious, and suspected that he had dangerous drugs concealed inside his body cavity. He was then escorted to the hospital for examination.
      
     Upon examination, the man was confirmed by a doctor to have foreign objects concealed inside his body cavity. He was arrested immediately. As at 11am today (August 10), the arrested man has excreted 77 pellets of suspected cocaine weighing about 770g in total.
      
     An investigation is ongoing.
      
     Following the resumption of normal travel and exchanges with the Mainland and other parts of the world, the number of visitors to Hong Kong has also been increasing steadily. Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
      
     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 National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force today (August 10) arrested four men and six women, aged between 26 and 43, in various districts for suspected “conspiracy to collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security”, contravening Article 29 of the National Security Law and inciting riot.

     Police investigation revealed that the arrested persons were suspected of conspiracy to collude with the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund to receive donations from various overseas organisations to support people who have fled overseas or organisations which called for sanctions against Hong Kong.

     Police conducted searches at the arrested persons’ residences and offices with court warrants. Some related documents and electronic communication devices were seized. The arrested persons are being detained for further enquiries. Police operation is ongoing and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.

     Police remind the public that “conspiracy to collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security” is a serious crime. Offenders shall be liable upon conviction to imprisonment. Members of the public are urged not to defy the laws.

     The Lands Department today (August 10) posted land resumption notices in accordance with section 4 of the Lands Resumption Ordinance (Chapter 124) and section 14 of the Roads (Works, Use and Compensation) Ordinance (Chapter 370) for the implementation of drainage improvement works and the associated road works in North District.
 
     Forty private lots with a total area of about 3 843 square metres will be resumed by the Government. The land will revert to the Government upon the expiry of a period of three months from the date of affixing the notices (i.e. November 11).
 
     The Government will maintain close liaison with the relevant land owners and affected parties, and properly handle their compensation matters.
 
     The works mentioned above will improve the drainage capacity of Kong Ha, Sha Tau Kok Town, Shek Kiu Tau, Hang Tau and Kai Fong Garden to alleviate flood risks. The works are expected to be completed in stages in around five years.

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

     The Judiciary announced today (August 10) the appointment of the new term of the Advisory Committee on Complaints against Judicial Conduct for a two-year period from August 16, 2023, to August 15, 2025. All incumbent members of the Advisory Committee have been reappointed.

     The Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, Mr Andrew Cheung Kui-nung, said, "The Judiciary attaches great importance to the fair and proper handling of complaints against judicial conduct while ensuring that the principle of judicial independence is not compromised. I am most grateful to all members of the Advisory Committee for their valuable advice and suggestions during the past two years since its establishment. Their work has been conducive to enhancing the accountability and transparency of the mechanism for handling complaints against judicial conduct. I look forward to working closely with the Advisory Committee in its coming term."

     Established in 2021 upon the implementation of an enhanced mechanism with a two-tier structure, the Advisory Committee comprises senior judges and members from the community with expertise and experience in judicial, professional and public services. It monitors and advises on the handling of complaints against judicial conduct, identifies problems in court practices/procedures which may lead to complaints and recommends improvements where appropriate, and makes recommendations on improvements to the complaint handling mechanism.

     The membership of the Advisory Committee is as follows:

Chairman
————-
The Honourable Chief Justice Andrew Cheung Kui-nung
(Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal)
 
Members
————
The Honourable Mr Justice Johnson Lam Man-hon
(Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal)
 
The Honourable Mr Justice Patrick Chan Siu-oi
(Non-Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal)
 
The Honourable Mr Justice Jeremy Poon Shiu-chor
(Chief Judge of the High Court)
 
The Honourable Madam Justice Susan Kwan Shuk-hing  
(Vice-President of the Court of Appeal of the High Court)
 
Dr Christopher Cheng Wai-chee
 
Mr Patrick Fung Pak-tung, SC
 
Ms Connie Lau Yin-hing
 
Professor Lee Chack-fan

     A director and a company secretary of Kwong Ming Engineering Limited were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violation of requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The two company responsible persons pleaded guilty earlier at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts and were each sentenced to 120 hours’ community service order today (August 10). They were also ordered to pay an outstanding sum of about $248,000 via the court to the employee concerned.
      
     The company had failed to pay an employee in accordance with the EO wages totaling about $130,000 within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods and termination of employment, as well as the awarded sum of about $248,000 within 14 days after the date set by the Labour Tribunal (LT). The two company responsible persons concerned were prosecuted and convicted for their consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences.

     "The ruling will disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay employees' wages within the time limit stipulated in the EO and awarded sums as ordered by the LT or the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board," a spokesman for the LD said.
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     "The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees' statutory rights," the spokesman added.