Hong Kong Customs yesterday (December 4) detected a case of suspected smuggling by speedboat in Tung Chung and seized about 1.1 tonnes of suspected smuggled dried shark fins with an estimated market value of about $1 million.

     Customs officers conducted an anti-smuggling operation in North Lantau waters last night. Several men were spotted moving bags of goods from a private car to a speedboat near Tung Chung. The officers suspected the men were engaging in smuggling activities and therefore took action.

     The men immediately jumped into the speedboat and left Hong Kong waters at high speed.

     During the operation, apart from the seizure of about 1.1 tonnes of suspected smuggled dried shark fins, two private cars involved were also detained for further investigation.

     Investigation is ongoing.

     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 will continue to take stringent enforcement action to combat sea smuggling activities.

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

  

     The Labour and Welfare Bureau today (December 5) announced that the public consultation session of the Hong Kong Rehabilitation Programme Plan (RPP) (Consensus Building Stage) of the Rehabilitation Advisory Committee in New Territories East originally scheduled for November 16 has been rescheduled to be held from 3pm to 5.30pm on December 18 (Wednesday) at the Hall, Sun Tin Wai Community Hall, Sun Tin Wai Estate, Sha Tin.

     Please visit the Consulting Team's website (www.rs.polyu.edu.hk/rpp) for details and registration arrangements of the public consultation session. Any views or enquiries on the new RPP may be sent to the Consulting Team (rs.rpp@polyu.edu.hk) by email.

     In view of the cold weather, the Home Affairs Department has opened 18 temporary shelters today (December 5) for people in need of the service.
      
     The temporary shelters will remain open during the daytime tomorrow (December 6) when the cold weather warning is still in force.
 
     To ensure that cold shelter users can rest in a quiet and undisturbed environment, members of the public or agencies wishing to make donations to shelter users are requested to register with the staff of the shelter first. Donors will then be directed to place the donated items at a specified indoor location. The staff will help notify the shelter users to collect the items on their own.
 
     Anyone seeking temporary refuge or with any questions about the donation arrangements at the cold shelters may call the department's hotline 2835 1473 for more information.
 
     The 18 temporary cold 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:
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau
 
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:
Nam Cheong District Community Centre
1 Cheong San Lane, 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:
—————-
 
Islands:
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building,
39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing:
Tai Wo Hau Estate Community Centre
15 Tai Wo Hau Road, Kwai Chung
 
North:
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
 
Sai Kung:
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex,
38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, 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:
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun
 
Yuen Long:
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long

     The Commissioner of Police, Mr Tang Ping-keung, will depart Hong Kong tomorrow (December 6) to pay a courtesy visit to Beijing since he assumed his post last month.

     During his visit, he will call on the Ministry of Public Security and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council. He will take this opportunity to meet with his counterparts in Beijing as well as to brief them on the law and order situation, and exchange views on cross-boundary crimes and police cooperation.

     Accompanying Mr Tang on the visit will be the Deputy Commissioner (Operations), Mr Siu Chak-yee. The group will return to Hong Kong on Sunday (December 8).

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joshua Law, visited the Legal Aid Department today (December 5) to meet with its management and staff of various grades to learn more about their work and matters of concern.

     Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Thomas Chow, Mr Law first met with the Director of Legal Aid, Mr Thomas Kwong, and the directorate staff to receive an update on the department's work in processing legal aid applications and providing litigation and legal support services, as well as the challenges confronting them.

     Mr Law then proceeded to the Legal and Management Support Section of the Policy and Administration Division to learn about the Section's work, which includes the provision of information technology and management support to the department as well as legal support services after litigation.

     At the Application and Processing Division, Mr Law was briefed on the processing of civil legal aid applications. He visited front-line colleagues of the Information and Application Services Unit to learn more about their daily work in handling enquiries on matters related to the procedures for applying for legal aid.
    
     Mr Law also visited the Crime Section of the Litigation Division where he was briefed on the processing of criminal legal aid applications, the handling of criminal litigation at all court levels, and the operation of the Remote Official Visit System. The System allows officers of the Section to interview persons in custody at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre through a video conferencing system in the interview room.

     Before concluding his visit, Mr Law met with staff representatives of various grades at a tea gathering to exchange views on matters that concerned them. He praised colleagues for their efforts and encouraged them to keep up their professionalism and continue to provide quality legal aid services to the public.