Hong Kong Customs today (May 17) further arrested two male staff members of a fitness centre suspected of engaging in aggressive commercial practices in the course of selling fitness service, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).

     Customs earlier received information alleging that staff members of a fitness centre in Yau Ma Tei imposed undue influence in selling fitness services to two customers who were forced to procure fitness club membership valued at $3,000 and $18,000 respectively.

     After investigation, Customs officers today further arrested two men, aged 20 and 24. 

     Customs earlier arrested two male staff members and two male directors of the fitness centre.

     Investigation is ongoing and the arrested men have been released on bail pending further investigation.

     Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to procure services at reputable shops. Before making the purchase decision, consumers should not easily provide their identity cards or credit cards to a salesperson. Consumers should firmly refuse signing any sales documents if they have no intention to purchase.

     Under the TDO, any trader commits an offence of engaging in aggressive commercial practices if harassment, coercion or undue influence is used to impair consumer's freedom of choice or conduct, causing the consumer to make a transactional decision. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

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

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (May 17) urged the public not to consume a kind of raw milk cheese imported from France and the import into and sale in Hong Kong of that kind of cheese had also been suspended with immediate effect as the product might have been contaminated with Escherichia coli (E. coli) (O26). The trade should stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.
 
     Details of the product are as follows:
 
Product name: Fromage AOP reblochon laitier au lait cru (Reblochon raw milk cheese AOP)
Place of origin: France
Manufacturer: FROMAGERIES CHABERT
Packing: 450g per pack
Lots: Lot numbers starting with 8CR
Sanitary mark: FR 74. 096. 050 CE – with red round casein
 
     "The CFS received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission that the above-mentioned product might have been contaminated with E. coli (O26) and is being recalled. For the sake of prudence, the CFS has immediately suspended the import and sale in Hong Kong of the concerned product," a spokesman for the CFS said.
 
     The spokesman said that according to information provided by the RASFF, a local importer, Silco International Limited, had imported some of the affected product into Hong Kong. The CFS immediately contacted the importer concerned for follow-up. The importer confirmed that it had imported 2.4 kilograms of the affected product and all had been distributed. It has initiated a recall according to the CFS’ advice. Enquiries about the recall can be made to the importer’s hotline at 2764 3632 during office hours.
 
     "People will contract E. coli causing gastro-intestinal disease through consumption of contaminated water or undercooked and contaminated foods. Intestinal bleeding and serious complications such as hemolytic uraemic syndrome may also develop in some people. Moreover, due to poor personal hygiene, person-to-person transmission of this pathogen is possible through the oral-faecal route. E. coli cannot survive under high temperature and can be killed by thorough cooking," the spokesman said.
 
     The spokesman urged consumers not to consume the affected product if they have bought any. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.
 
     The CFS has informed the French authorities concerned of the import suspension and will alert the trade to the incident. It will continue to closely monitor the incident and take appropriate follow-up action. Investigation is underway.
 
Ends

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, accompanied by the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, and the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, in Guangzhou today (May 17) continued her visit to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area.
 
     In the morning, Mrs Lam and the other officials visited three enterprises at the Science City of the Guangzhou Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone engaging in regenerative medical technology, the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, and medical technology and rehabilitation robots. The visits allowed them to know more about collaboration between Hong Kong and Guangzhou enterprises in transformation of scientific and technological achievements as well as the development of Hong Kong companies establishing a presence in Guangzhou to gain access to the Mainland market. Mrs Lam expressed the hope that the two cities can boost collaboration among relevant sectors in the field of innovation and technology (I&T), and combine government support, production, education, scientific research and practical application in advancing the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area as an international I&T centre.
 
     Mrs Lam and the other officials then met with the Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, Mr Li Xi, and the Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Ma Xingrui, and attended a lunch hosted by them. At the meeting, Mrs Lam thanked the Guangdong Provincial Government for the large amount of work it did to prepare for last month's visit by members of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong to the Bay Area, which was well received by the Legislative Council members. She said that this year is the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening up of the country and in the course of the reform and opening up, Guangdong Province was the first mover and Hong Kong also made contributions. She expressed the hope that the Bay Area would carry on from past successes while creating new achievements in the future, raising Hong Kong-Guangdong co-operation to a new stage. She said that to develop a world-class Bay Area, breakthroughs in co-operation between Hong Kong and Guangdong in innovation are needed. She said that the instruction made personally by President Xi Jinping days earlier introduced a major breakthrough in the co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong in scientific research with the opening up of science and technology funding of the Central Government for application by universities and research institutions in Hong Kong, helping tremendously in the future development of the Bay Area as an international I&T centre. Mrs Lam proposed to Mr Li to continue to strengthen the work on youth exchanges and people-to-people bonds, so that people of the two places will embrace the development of the Bay Area.
 
     In the afternoon, Mrs Lam and the other officials toured an entrepreneurship base of the Tianhe Hong Kong and Macau Youth Association in Tianhe District to learn about its services and development plan. She exchanged views with young entrepreneurs from Hong Kong at the base and was told about their start-up experiences in Guangzhou. Established in October 2017, the base provides young people of Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macao with support services in entrepreneurship, internship, exchanges and living.
 
     Mrs Lam and the other officials then visited the Pazhou Internet Innovation Cluster, which is currently being developed, to learn about its development as an Internet technology and innovation platform. They also toured the Qingsheng station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link in the Nansha district to view the area's transportation network and the surrounding development.
 
     Mrs Lam and the other officials returned to Hong Kong this afternoon.

              

     The US premiere of the award-winning movie "Tomorrow Is Another Day" has been held in Chicago, helping another successful film funded by the Hong Kong Film Development Fund to gain prominence on the world stage.
      
     Before the screening of the film in the Asian Pop-Up Cinema festival in Chicago on May 16 (Chicago time), lead actor Ling Man-lung was presented with the festival's Bright Star Award.
      
     The Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, New York (HKETONY), Ms Joanne Chu, congratulated Ling and director and screenwriter Chan Tai-lee, who was also in attendance. She said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to support and promote the Hong Kong film industry worldwide, including nurturing young film talents. The Film Development Fund has supported more than 30 films since its inception in 2007. These films have won nearly 100 awards at local and overseas film festivals.
      
     Sponsored by HKETONY, the screening had a full house. The heartfelt drama was a big winner at the 37th Hong Kong Film Awards. Ling was named Best New Performer for his role as an autistic teenager, while Teresa Mo won Best Actress as a self-sacrificing housewife. 
      
     HKETONY has partnered with Asian Pop-Up Cinema to take distinguished actors and directors to the Windy City since 2016. Hong Kong film industry guests in past events have included Steve Chan, Teddy Robin Kwan and Herman Yau.

        

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (May 17) that a sample of rice with BBQ pork and duck was found to contain a pathogen, Salmonella. The CFS is following up on the case.

     "Following up on a food complaint, the CFS collected the sample of rice with BBQ pork and duck from a food premises in Mong Kok for testing. The test result showed the presence of Salmonella in 25 grams of the sample, exceeding the criterion of the Microbiological Guidelines for Food which states that Salmonella should not be detected in 25 grams of food sample," a CFS spokesman said.

     The spokesman said that the CFS had notified the food premises concerned of the unsatisfactory test result and instructed it to stop selling the concerned food item immediately. The CFS has also provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the person-in-charge and staff of the food premises, and requested it to review and improve the food production process and carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection.

     "Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and patients with a weak immune system could be more severe and may even lead to death," the spokesman said.

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