Hong Kong Customs mounted anti-illicit cigarette special operations last week in view of the arrival of the summer holidays. A total of 20 relevant cases were detected and a total of about 97 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $270 million and a duty potential of about $180 million were seized across the territory. Customs has so far this year seized about 259 million suspected illicit cigarettes, signifying vigorous law enforcement results.

     One of the cases detected last week set a record for the largest cigarette smuggling case detected by Customs in the past 21 years. In this case, Customs officers on July 6 intercepted a container truck near Ha Tsuen Road, Yuen Long, and seized about 14 million suspected illicit cigarettes inside a 40-feet container. After an initial investigation, Customs officers searched six more containers at two container yards nearby and further seized about 64 million suspected illicit cigarettes inside the containers. During the operation, a total of about 78 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $220 million and a duty potential of about $150 million were seized. A 58-year-old male driver suspected to be connected with the case was arrested and seven containers suspected to be involved in the case were detained. 

     Investigation is ongoing. Customs will continue to trace the source and the flow of the illicit cigarettes. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.

     Including the suspected illicit cigarettes seized in this operation, Customs has seized about 259 million suspected illicit cigarettes this year as at yesterday (July 14), an increase of about 21 per cent compared to the figure for the same period last year.

     Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multi-pronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to spare no effort in combating illicit cigarette activities.

     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

     Customs reminds members of the public that it is an offence to buy or sell illicit cigarettes. Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

  

     â€‹Hong Kong Customs today (July 15) announced that the first Tobacco Detector Dog Team has been set up to further strengthen Customs' capability in interception at source to combat the smuggling of illicit tobacco into Hong Kong, enhancing enforcement effectiveness in combating illicit cigarettes. 

     Further to the establishment of the first Firearm Detector Dog Team in December last year, Customs has trained tobacco detector dogs and dog handlers on its own to realise a development strategy formulated by the Customs Canine Force (CCF) along the direction of diversification and to expand the detector dogs' sniffing ability.

     Apart from training the current four types of detector dogs, namely drug detector dogs, explosive detector dogs, cash detector dogs and firearm detector dogs, the CCF has self-developed a tobacco detector dog training programme for the first time to train the detector dogs' abilities to intercept tobacco. After training, the tobacco detector dogs can sniff out different types of tobacco products, including cigarettes and cigars, in a bid to assist Customs officers to combat illicit cigarette activities on all fronts.

     The tobacco detector dogs this time were selected from the Springer Spaniel puppies bred under the canine breeding co-operation between Customs and the Fire Services Department in February last year. They received regular training for 12 weeks when they reached 1 year old and officially became tobacco detector dogs after passing examinations.

     The newly formed Tobacco Detector Dog Team comprises four sub-teams, with each having a dog handler and a detector dog. The tobacco detector dogs are able to assist Customs officers to carry out efficient and effective assessment on cargo consignments carried by large conveyances. Coupled with intelligence analysis and risk management, Customs' clearance efficiency and enforcement capability to intercept illicit cigarettes at the control points will be greatly enhanced.

     The self-bred working dogs have officially performed duties after puppy nurturing with care and professional training. This has proven the professionalism of Customs in three aspects, namely canine breeding, puppy nurturing and staff training, and the achievement in developing detector dog management as one of the branches of professionalism for the department.

     The Tobacco Detector Dog Team has been deployed to the airport, land boundary control points and container terminals to provide effective support to the department in combating tobacco smuggling activities.

    

     The Financial Secretary, under the authority delegated by the Chief Executive, has re-appointed Dr James C Lin and Mr Victor Dawes, SC, as Non-Executive Directors of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC). The two-year term of Dr Lin and Mr Dawes will begin on August 1, 2022.
 
     Announcing the appointments today (July 15), a Government spokesman said, "Dr Lin and Mr Dawes have offered constructive advice on the performance of functions and good corporate governance of the SFC during their tenure. We look forward to their continued support for the work of the SFC."
 
     The SFC is chaired by Mr Tim Lui Tim-leung. Other serving Non-Executive Directors are Ms Agnes Chan Sui-kuen, Mr Edward Cheng Wai-sun, Mr Johnson Kong Chi-how, Mr Nicky Lo Kar-chun, Mr Michael Wong Yick-kam and Mr Dieter Yih Lai-tak. 
 

     The Home Affairs Department will open 18 temporary night heat shelters tonight (July 15) for people in need of the service.
 
     The shelters will be open from 10.30pm until 8am tomorrow.
 
     In light of the implementation of mandatory use of the "LeaveHomeSafe" mobile application when entering government premises, all persons are required to use the app to scan the venue QR code before they are allowed to enter temporary night heat shelters, except for exempted persons (including persons who are aged below 12 or aged 65 or above, persons with disabilities that render use of the app difficult and persons without smartphones). All exempted persons are required to complete a prescribed form to register their personal particulars, contact phone number and the date and time of entry. The staff will verify the information provided.
 
     For further information, please call the department's hotline before midnight on 2572 8427.
 
     The night heat shelters are located at:
 
Hong Kong Districts:
———————
 
Central and Western –
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex
2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun
 
Eastern –
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
 
Southern –
Wah Kwai Community Centre
Wah Kwai Estate, Kellett Bay
 
Wan Chai –
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai
 
Kowloon Districts:
——————
 
Kowloon City –
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
 
Kwun Tong –
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin
 
Sham Shui Po –
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate, Sham Shui Po
 
Wong Tai Sin –
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
 
Yau Tsim Mong –
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
 
New Territories Districts:
————————–
 
Islands –
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing –
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung
 
North –
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
 
Sai Kung –
Chi Shin Activity Centre
G/F, Tseung Kwan O South Ancillary Facilities Block, 5 Chi Shin Street, Tseung Kwan O
 
Sha Tin –
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
 
Tai Po –
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
 
Tsuen Wan –
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
 
Tuen Mun –
Wu Shan Road Community Hall
101 Wu Shan Road, Tuen Mun
 
Yuen Long –
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long
 
     The temporary night heat shelters will resume their functions as community centres or community halls in the daytime for hire by the local community.
 
     People may choose to take refuge from the heat during the daytime in the common areas of the designated community centres and community halls. For the addresses of these designated community centres and community halls, please browse the following document: www.had.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/public_services/emergency_services/List_CH_CC_Day_E.pdf. 

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (July 15) that a kind of frozen confection imported from Thailand was found to contain a total bacterial count exceeding the legal limit. A follow-up is in progress.

     Product details are as follows:

 Product name: Frozen Cream Sauce
 Net weight: 500 grams
 Brand: After You Dessert Café
 Place of origin: Thailand
 Importer: Skyfair Trading Limited
 Use-by date: April 29, 2023

     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS collected the above-mentioned frozen confection at the import level for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. Test results of two samples showed a total bacterial count of 68 000 and 70 000 per gram respectively, exceeding the legal limit.

     "The CFS has informed the importer concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop selling the affected product immediately. The affected product has been stored in a cold store, and has not entered the market."

     Under the Frozen Confections Regulation (Cap. 132AC), frozen confection for sale should not contain more than 50 000 bacteria per gram. The maximum penalty for offenders is a fine of $10,000 and three months' imprisonment upon conviction. The fact that the total bacterial count exceeded the legal limit indicated that the hygienic conditions were unsatisfactory, but did not mean that consumption would lead to food poisoning.

     The CFS will continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health.