Hong Kong Customs yesterday (February 22) seized 20 slabs of suspected smuggled gold weighing about 20 kilograms in total, with an estimated market value of about $10 million, at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port. 

     Based on risk assessment, Customs yesterday evening intercepted an outgoing seven-seater vehicle at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port for inspection. Upon examination, Customs officers seized the batch of suspected smuggled gold in a space behind the glove box of the vehicle. The 34-year-old male driver was subsequently arrested. 

     An investigation is ongoing. 

     Customs will continue to take stringent enforcement actions against cross-boundary smuggling activities through risk assessment and intelligence analysis.

     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.

     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) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002). 

  

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, February 23, 2024 is 105 (up 0.1 against yesterday's index).

     The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Tsuen Wan Outline Zoning Plan (OZP). 

     "The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment within the Tsuen Wan area," a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (February 23). 

     The planning scheme area, about 743.48 hectares, covers Tsuen Wan Valley and its adjoining areas, and forms part of the Tsuen Wan New Town. The area extends from Wo Yi Hop Road in the east to Yau Kom Tau in the west.

     The approved OZP has incorporated the amendment shown on the draft Tsuen Wan OZP No. S/TW/36, which mainly involves rezoning a site at the upper section of Lo Wai Road from "Green Belt" to "Government, Institution or Community (10)" for redevelopment into a proposed private columbarium.

     The Notes and Explanatory Statement of the OZP are amended to take into account the above amendment. Opportunity is also taken to update the general information of various land use zones and the planning circumstances, where appropriate.

     The approved Tsuen Wan OZP No. S/TW/37 is available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Tsuen Wan and West Kowloon District Planning Office, (iv) the Tsuen Wan District Office and (v) the Tsuen Wan Rural Committee.

     Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the OZP can be viewed at the Town Planning Board's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).

     â€‹The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Urban Renewal Authority (URA) Kau Pui Lung Road/Chi Kiang Street Development Scheme Plan (DSP).

     "The approved DSP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the implementation of the URA Kau Pui Lung Road/Chi Kiang Street Development Scheme", a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (February 23).

     The development scheme area, covering about 1.6 hectares, is designated as "Residential (Group A)" and areas shown as 'Road'. The development scheme, which is intended primarily for high-density residential developments, is one of the pilot Civil Servants' Co-operative Building Society redevelopment projects being taken forward by the URA. The planned residential developments will comprise both private housing and Starter Homes units. An underground public vehicle park, various government, institution or community facilities, at-grade pedestrianised avenue/event plaza and public open space will also be provided to meet the future residents' and community needs. 

     The approved DSP No. S/K10/URA2/2 is available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Kowloon District Planning Office and (iv) the Kowloon City District Office.
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     Copies of the approved DSP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the DSP can be viewed at the Town Planning Board's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).

     The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Fanling/Sheung Shui Extension Area Outline Zoning Plan (OZP). 
      
     "The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the development and redevelopment in the Fanling/Sheung Shui Extension Area", a spokesman for the Town Planning Board said today (February 23). 
      
     The planning scheme area covers a total area of about 32 hectares (ha). It is located to the immediate south and southwest of the Fanling/Sheung Shui New Town, and stretches from Ping Kong Road and Po Kin Road to its north and to the Tai Lung Experimental Station at its southeastern end, with Fan Kam Road to its west and Ping Kong to its east. On the other side of Po Kin Road and Ping Kong Road are North District Hospital and its extension, as well as existing public housing estates and schools.
      
     In view of the fact that the proposed public housing use and development parameters of about 9.54 ha area in the northern-most portion of the planning scheme area (the Site) are subject to further review by the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) and the outcome of the judicial review (JR) in relation to the environmental impact assessment report for the proposed development, the Site is zoned "Undetermined" at this juncture to provide appropriate planning control on the Site during the interim period. Subject to the completion of the CEDD review and the JR proceedings, further rezoning of the Site will be processed in accordance with the Town Planning Ordinance.
      
     The remaining southern portion of the area zoned "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Conservation cum Recreation" (about 21.65 ha) is intended primarily to conserve existing natural landscape and ecological features. It is also intended for the provision of space for passive recreational uses for the general public, which are compatible with the conservation intention. 
      
     The approved Fanling/Sheung Shui Extension Area OZP No. S/FSSE/2 is now available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Fanling, Sheung Shui and Yuen Long East District Planning Office, (iv) the North District Office, and (v) the Sheung Shui District Rural Committee.
      
     Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the OZP can be viewed at the Town Planning Board's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).