Appeal for information on missing woman in Mong Kok (with photos)

     Police today (April 3) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Mong Kok.

     Leung Yuk-lan, aged 86, went missing after she left her residence on Tai Kok Tsui Road yesterday (April 2) afternoon. Her family made a report to Police.

     She is about 1.5 metres tall, around 45 kilograms in weight and of thin build. She has a long face with yellow complexion and short white hair. She was last seen wearing a brown hat, a blue jacket, a dark shirt, a pair of black trousers and black shoes.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of Kowloon West on 3661 8036 or 9020 6542 or email to rmpu-kw-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

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Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products (with photos)

     An incoming male passenger was sentenced to seven months and five days of imprisonment at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (April 3) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare to Customs Officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO), as well as for importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).
      
     Customs officers intercepted a 38-year-old incoming male passenger at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) on February 6. About 34 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes and 12 000 alternative smoking products were seized from his personal baggage. He was subsequently arrested. Upon investigation, Customs officers also discovered that the passenger had arrived at HKIA on July 10, 2024, and had not yet claimed his personal baggage, which contained about 14 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes. As such, a total of about 48 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes and about 12 000 alternative smoking products, with a total estimated market value of about $239,000 and a duty potential of about $163,000, were seized in this case.
      
     Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.
      
     Under the DCO, tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
      
     Under the IEO, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

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HKMA 2025 Pay Review

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (April 3) the results of the 2025 annual pay review. The review was undertaken by the Governance Sub-Committee (GSC) of the Exchange Fund Advisory Committee (EFAC). The GSC's recommendations have been approved by the Financial Secretary through EFAC.

     The Fixed Pay of the HKMA staff will be frozen for the coming year from April 2025. Variable Pay equivalent to 19.93 per cent of Total Pay will be paid to staff on the basis of their performance in 2024. Variable Pay is a one-off payment to staff who have attained or exceeded the required level of performance.

     The Financial Secretary determines the pay adjustment of HKMA staff each year having regard to the recommendations made to him by the GSC through EFAC, GSC's assessment of the performance of the HKMA in the preceding year, the pay-survey findings of the financial sector conducted by independent human resources consultants and any other relevant factors.




Special traffic arrangements for triathlon on Hong Kong Island

    Police will implement special traffic arrangements in Central and Wan Chai from this Friday to Sunday (April 4 to 6) to facilitate the holding of a triathlon event.

A.    Road closure

    The following roads will be closed:

(1) From 10am on April 4 to 6pm on April 6:

    Expo Drive between Legislative Council Road and Expo Drive Central.

(2) From 1am to 2pm on April 5 and from 1am to 6pm on April 6:

– Yiu Sing Street;
– Eastbound Lung Wo Road between Man Yiu Street and Fleming Road, including the slip road of eastbound Central – Wan Chai Bypass tunnel from Wan Chai to North Point;
– Westbound Lung Wo Road between southbound Lung Tat Path and southbound Tim Wa Avenue;
– Northbound Lung Tat Path;
– Lung Hop Street;
– Legislative Council Road between Legislative Council Complex Car Park exit and Lung Wo Road;
– Part of the traffic lanes of the slip road of westbound Central – Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel heading to Central District;
– Part of the traffic lanes of eastbound Man Po Street near Man Yiu Street;
– Part of the traffic lanes of eastbound Man Po Street near Finance Street;
– Part of the traffic lanes of southbound Man Yiu Street between Man Kwong Street and westbound Yiu Sing Street;
– Part of the traffic lane of southbound Man Yiu Street near Lung Wo Road;
– Part of the traffic lanes of westbound Lung Wo Road between Tim Wa Avenue and Man Yiu Street;
– Part of the traffic lanes of northbound Fleming Road between westbound Convention Avenue and eastbound Lung Wo Road;
– Part of the traffic lanes of westbound Hung Hing Road near Fleming Road;
– The slip road of westbound Central – Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel leading to the exit of Lung Wo Road; and
– Part of the traffic lanes of westbound Convention Avenue near northbound Fleming Road.

B.    Traffic diversions

    In connection with the road closure as mentioned above, the following traffic diversions will be implemented:

(1) From 10am on April 4 to 0.59am on April 5 and 2.01pm on April 5 to 0.59am on April 6:

    Traffic along eastbound Expo Drive heading to Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre will be diverted via eastbound Lung Wo Road and northbound Expo Drive East.

(2) From 1am to 2pm on April 5 and from 1am to 6pm on April 6:

– Traffic along westbound Man Kwong Street heading to eastbound Lung Wo Road via southbound Man Yiu Street will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
– Traffic along eastbound Man Po Street heading to Admiralty or Mid-levels via eastbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted via the slip road of eastbound Man Po Street heading to westbound Finance Street, westbound Finance Street, temporary exit connecting Finance Street and Central – Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel, the slip road of westbound Central – Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel heading to eastbound Man Kat Street, eastbound Man Kat Street, eastbound Connaught Road Central and eastbound Harcourt Road;
– Traffic along eastbound Man Po Street heading to eastbound Lung Wo Road via eastbound Yiu Sing Street will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
– Traffic along eastbound Man Po Street heading to eastbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
– Traffic along southbound Man Yiu Street cannot turn left to eastbound Lung Wo Road and eastbound Yiu Sing Street. Vehicles will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
– Traffic along eastbound Man Cheung Street heading to eastbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
– Traffic along westbound Lung Wo Road cannot turn right to northbound Yiu Sing Street. Vehicles will be diverted via westbound Lung Wo Road and northbound Man Yiu Street;
– Traffic along eastbound Yiu Sing Street and southbound Yiu Sing Street heading to eastbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted via southbound Man Yiu Street, eastbound Connaught Place, southbound Connaught Place, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road, eastbound Gloucester Road and northbound Fleming Road;
– Traffic along northbound Legislative Council Road cannot turn left to westbound Lung Wo Road, vehicles will be diverted via southbound Legislative Council Road, eastbound Lung Wui Road, eastbound Fenwick Pier Street, roundabout, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Connaught Place;
– Traffic along westbound Lung Wo Road heading to Chief Executive’s Office via southbound Tim Wa Avenue will be diverted via southbound Lung Tat Path, Convention Avenue, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central, u-turn, eastbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Tim Wa Avenue;
– Traffic along eastbound Lung Wui Road cannot turn left to northbound Lung Hop Street;
– Traffic along westbound Fenwick Pier Street cannot turn right to northbound Lung Hop Street. Vehicles will be diverted
via Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Connaught Place;
– Traffic along westbound Convention Avenue heading to westbound Lung Wo Road via northbound Lung Tat Path will be diverted via Convention Avenue, Fenwick Pier Street roundabout, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Connaught Place;
– Traffic along southbound Expo Drive East heading to westbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted via southbound Lung Tat Path, Convention Avenue, Fenwick Pier Street roundabout, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Connaught Place;
– Traffic along westbound Hung Hing Road heading to westbound Lung Wo Road will be diverted to southbound Lung Tat Path, Convention Avenue, Fenwick Pier Street roundabout, westbound Fenwick Pier Street, flyover, westbound Harcourt Road, westbound Connaught Road Central and northbound Connaught Place; and
– Traffic along westbound Lung Wo Road heading to Central Pier or Finance Street via Yiu Sing Street will be diverted via westbound Lung Wo Road and northbound Man Yiu Street.

C.    Suspension of parking spaces and pick-up/drop-off areas

    All parking spaces and pick-up/drop-off areas on the following roads will be suspended:

(1) From 10am on April 4 to 6pm on April 6:

    All metered parking spaces and pick-up/drop-off areas on Expo Drive.

(2) From 10pm on April 4 to 2pm on April 5 and from 10pm on April 5 to 6pm on April 6:

– All metered parking spaces on Yiu Sing Street and Lung Hop Street;
– Lay-bys on westbound Lung Wo Road near City Hall and near Central Barracks; and
– Lay-by on Edinburgh Place near City Hall.

     All vehicles parked illegally during the implementation of the above special traffic arrangements will be towed away without prior warning, and may be subject to multiple ticketing.  

     The Police will implement the special arrangements depending on the prevailing traffic and crowd conditions. Motorists should exercise patience, and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.




New Commandant of HKAPF appointed (with photo)

     The Government announced today (April 3) the appointment of Mr Johnny Leung Sai-kwong as the Commandant of the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force (HKAPF) with effect from April 7, 2025.
      
     The appointment was made by the Chief Executive to succeed the retiring Commandant, Mr Yang Joe-tsi, PDSM.
      
     Mr Leung, aged 57, is the Chief Operating Officer of a multinational engineering corporation. He joined the HKAPF as a Constable in August 1989 and was promoted to Superintendent (Auxiliary) in February 2014, Senior Superintendent (Auxiliary) in November 2016 and Chief Superintendent (Auxiliary) in October 2017. Mr Leung was appointed as the Deputy Commandant of HKAPF by the Chief Executive on October 11, 2021.
      
     Mr Leung has a wide range of operational and management experience. He was awarded the Long Service Medal for Auxiliary Police in 2004, the First Clasp in 2014 and a TIDERIDER medal in 2021.

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