The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, visited Eastern District today (July 18). Also joining the visit were two secondary school students participating in the "Be a Government Official for a Day" programme. They first visited Hong Kong Shue Yan University (HKSYU) to keep abreast of the latest developments of the post-secondary institution and exchange views with young people. 
      
     Accompanied by the District Officer (Eastern), Mr Simon Chan, and the Chairman of the Eastern District Council, Mr Wong Kin-pan, Mr Cheung toured the Research Complex of HKSYU, including the Jockey Club Multimedia Production Centre, a student dormitory and amenity facilities. He also attended a demonstration of multimedia production.
      
     He was pleased to learn that the Research Complex which was built on land granted by the Government complemented well HKSYU’s plan to strengthen academic research and extend the development of postgraduate programmes. He stressed that the current-term Government attached great importance to nurturing talent. Since assumption of office, the Government has launched $3.6 billion worth of measures, covering the entire education system including post-secondary education.

     Mr Cheung then had direct dialogue with students who previously participated in the E-League Programme and said that the Government would listen and respond to the views and aspirations of young people through different channels. He hoped that young people would seize the opportunities offered by the Programme and develop a positive outlook on life.
      
     The E-League Programme, launched by the Eastern District Office, is part of Government’s efforts in supporting youth development. It aims at establishing a robust youth network within the district and providing diverse and holistic learning opportunities such as seminars, visits and exchange programmes to the Mainland and overseas.
      
     Before the visit concluded, Mr Cheung met Eastern District Council members to listen to their views on various development issues and matters of concern to the local community. 

            

     Hong Kong Police received a suspect in connection with a manufacturing and trafficking in dangerous drugs case from the Ministry of Public Security at the Lok Ma Chau Boundary Control Point today (July 18).

     A local male, aged 39, was in suspected connection with a manufacturing and trafficking in dangerous drugs case happened in December 2008, in which a fire broke out in his residential unit in Tin Shui Wai and Police later seized about 600g of cocaine and crack cocaine, and equipment suspected for manufacturing dangerous drugs in the flat. The man fled to the Mainland after the case.

     With the information of the suspect, Police sought the assistance of the Ministry of Public Security. The suspect, who absconded for over nine years, was subsequently arrested in the Mainland.

     Hong Kong Police were grateful for the invaluable assistance rendered by the Ministry of Public Security, Zhejiang Provincial Public Security Department, Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department and Shenzhen Public Security Bureau, which resulted in the arrest of the suspect. The arrest of the suspect in the Mainland demonstrated the determination of the Police of the two places to combat crime jointly and uphold the rule of law.

     Active investigation by District Crime Squad of Yuen Long District is underway.

     A company and a man were fined $9,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (July 18) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
      
     The courts heard that in December last year, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted an inspection at a club on Hillwood Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, which had been operating with a certificate of compliance (CoC).
        
     The club was found to have a layout that deviated from the registered drawings, the number of people at the club exceeded the maximum allowable capacity as stipulated in the CoC, and the club was also found to have operated beyond the licensed area. Also, the club's staff failed to show a copy of the certificate of fire services installations and equipment and the registered drawings upon the OLA officers' request. Conditions 3, 6, 10, 17 and 18 of the CoC were breached.
      
     The man and the company, being the manager and the CoC holder of the club respectively, were charged with contravening section 21(1) (a) or section 21(2) of the Ordinance.
      
     A spokesman for the department reminded all CoC holders to comply with the conditions as stipulated therein. Enforcement action will continue to be taken against illegal club operations.

     Two women were fined $8,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (July 18) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
      
     The courts heard that in January this year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), the Home Affairs Department, inspected two suspected unlicensed guesthouses on Nathan Road and Temple Street in Yau Ma Tei. During the inspections, the OLA officers posed as lodgers and successfully rented rooms in these guesthouses on a daily basis.
      
     According to the OLA's records, these guesthouses did not possess licences under the Ordinance on the days of inspection. The women responsible for operating and managing the premises were charged with contravening section 5(1) of the Ordinance.
      
     A department spokesman stressed that operating or managing an unlicensed guesthouse is a criminal offence and will lead to a criminal record. Upon conviction, the offender is liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and two years' imprisonment.
           
     The spokesman appealed to anyone with information about suspected unlicensed guesthouses to report it to the OLA through the hotline (Tel: 2881 7498), by email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk), by fax (2504 5805) using the report form downloaded from the OLA website (www.hadla.gov.hk), or through the mobile application "Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses".

     Police conducted a large-scale anti-illegal bookmaking operation codenamed "CROWBEAK cum WINDSHIELD" during the World Cup period between June and July, resulting in the arrest of 242 persons and seizure of betting records valued at $130 million and $4 million in cash.

     In this large-scale anti-illegal bookmaking operation, Police searched a total of 103 locations, leading to 82 successful raids and the arrest of 242 persons, including 175 males and 67 females, aged between 17 and 87. The offences involved were "engaging in bookmaking", "betting with a bookmaker", "dealing with proceeds known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence" and "operating illegal gambling establishments".

     Police also seized betting records totalling $130 million, $4 million in cash of suspected criminal proceeds and 46 sets of computers in the operation.

     In the operation this year, a significant cross-boundary bookmaking case was jointly detected by Hong Kong Police (HKP) and the Mainland Police.

     In June, HKP and the Public Security Bureaux of Shenzhen and Dongguan conducted a joint operation codenamed "BLAZESPIKE" against a cross-boundary bookmaking syndicate. HKP raided 27 locations, arrested 45 persons and seized betting records valued at $77.7 million and $2.5 million in cash. The Mainland Police arrested five persons in Shenzhen and Dongguan, and seized some betting records and cash.

     In addition, Police also carried out the following preventive education campaigns before and during the World Cup period:
– Police had closely joined hands with the Home Affairs Bureau and the Ping Wo Fund to promote anti-illegal gambling message through various media, channels and online platforms, for instance, setting up game booths at carnival, challenging the Guinness World Record, live broadcast of street drama through social media in districts, etc;
– Police produced an episode of "Police Report" on anti-illegal bookmaking and a Hong Kong Police Facebook video to enhance publicity;
– Posters and banners with anti-illegal bookmaking messages were displayed at entertainment premises, restaurants and strategic locations.

     The number of successful raids, the number of arrests and the value of betting record seized during the previous World Cup in 2014 were 97, 176 and $750 million respectively.