Tag Archives: China

     In a total of five separate prosecution cases, six public rental housing (PRH) residents were each sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment (suspended for 12 months) and were fined $5,000 or $10,000 for not declaring their Hong Kong domestic property when applying for PRH and declaring their income and assets.
 
     A spokesman for the Housing Department (HD) today (June 27) reminded PRH applicants and residents of PRH estates to declare truthfully their income and assets.
 
     Information of the five cases are as follows:
 
Case 1:
     A PRH resident living in On Tai Estate declared in the Declaration in Respect of Admission to Public Rental Housing (PRH) in 2018 that he did not have any domestic property ownership in Hong Kong from the date of registration for the PRH application to the time of admission to PRH. Subsequent investigation revealed that he jointly owned a domestic property in Tai Kok Tsui at the material time.
 
Case 2:
     A PRH resident living in On Tai Estate declared in the Declaration in Respect of Admission to Public Rental Housing (PRH) in 2018 that he did not have any domestic property ownership in Hong Kong from the date of registration for the PRH application to the time of admission to PRH. Subsequent investigation revealed that he solely owned a domestic property in Kai Tak at the material time.
 
Case 3:
     A PRH resident living in On Tai Estate declared in the Declaration in Respect of Admission to Public Rental Housing (PRH) in 2018 that he did not have any domestic property ownership in Hong Kong from the date of registration for the PRH application to the time of admission to PRH. Subsequent investigation revealed that he jointly owned a domestic property in Eastern District at the material time.
 
     The PRH residents in Cases 1 to 3 were prosecuted for making a false statement knowingly in the respective declaration forms, contrary to Section 26(1)(c) of the Housing Ordinance. All of them were convicted in the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts on June 24. Given the gravity of the offence, the defendants were sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment (suspended for 12 months) and were fined $5,000 or $10,000. The HD has already recovered one of the subject PRH flats and is going to issue a notice-to-quit to another tenant, while the other subject PRH flat will be surrendered by the end of July.
 
Case 4:
     Two PRH residents living in Sau Mau Ping South Estate declared in the 2022 Income and Assets Declaration Forms that they did not have any domestic property ownership in Hong Kong. Subsequent investigation revealed that they jointly owned a domestic property in To Kwa Wan.  
 
Case 5:
     A PRH resident living in Kwong Tin Estate declared in the 2023 Income and Assets Declaration Forms that he did not have any domestic property ownership in Hong Kong. Subsequent investigations revealed that he solely owned a domestic property in Ngau Tau Kok at the material time.
 
     The PRH residents in Cases 4 and 5 were prosecuted for refusing or neglecting to furnish information specified in the declaration form, contrary to Section 27(a) of the Housing Ordinance. They were convicted in the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts on June 24. Given the gravity of the offence, the defendants were sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment (suspended for 12 months) and were fined $5,000 or $10,000. The HD has already recovered one of the subject PRH flats and is going to issue a notice-to-quit to the other tenant.
 
     The spokesman reminded all PRH applicants that if any persons are convicted by the courts for making a false statement knowingly during a PRH application, contrary to Section 26(1)(c) of the Housing Ordinance, the maximum penalty is a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months. The PRH application concerned will be cancelled while any allocated PRH unit will be recovered by the HD.
 
     He also reminded PRH residents that households living in PRH should accurately complete their Income and Assets Declaration Forms. Before furnishing particulars specified in the requisition required by the Hong Kong Housing Authority, households should read the content and completion guidelines of the Income and Assets Declaration Forms carefully and compute their income and assets in accordance with the methods specified. Otherwise, they may be prosecuted for making a false statement knowingly, contrary to Section 26(1)(a) of the Housing Ordinance. If convicted, the maximum penalty is a $50,000 fine and imprisonment for six months. Alternatively, they may be prosecuted for refusing or neglecting to furnish information as specified in a declaration form, contrary to Section 27(a) of the Housing Ordinance. If convicted, the maximum penalty is a $25,000 fine and imprisonment for three months. The HD will take action to recover the undercharged rent incurred due to the inaccurate information furnished by the households or even recover their PRH units.
 
     The spokesman reiterated that the public in general recognises the HD’s efforts in combating the abuse of PRH resources. The HD will continue to adopt multipronged and risk-based measures to comprehensively combat tenancy abuse. The HD will take decisive tenancy management and law enforcement actions against tenants who are found to have abused PRH and breached the tenancy agreement or relevant policies, in order to ensure that the precious PRH resources are allocated to those most in need. read more

     Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) hosted a themed seminar this afternoon (June 27) to brief incoming talent on corruption prevention and anti-deception practices to raise their awareness of the relevant crimes.

     At the seminar, a representative from the Community Relations Department of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) introduced Hong Kong’s anti-corruption laws and drew the attention of incoming talent to the fact that government and public sector employees do not accept tips from the public, and that bribing employees of private organisations is illegal. Also, the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance has not specified the minimum threshold for the amount of advantage for the purpose of corruption offences. The ICAC has kept reviewing various investment entrant and talent admission schemes with the relevant government departments in order to strengthen regulating the schemes and stamp out malpractices. The ICAC appealed to members of the public, including incoming talent, to join hands in maintaining Hong Kong’s culture of integrity.

     In addition, a representative of the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre of the Commercial Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force updated incoming talent on the latest deception trends at the seminar, and urged them to heighten vigilance against telephone deception tricks, including phone scammers impersonating Mainland law enforcement officers or bank staff, and other common types of deception such as online employment and investment frauds, as well as romance and online shopping scams. A representative from the Financial Intelligence and Investigation Bureau of the Police reminded incoming talent that criminal syndicates often induce account holders to provide personal accounts or personal information to create virtual bank accounts by offering monetary remuneration or using different excuses. They then collect and transfer the crime proceeds using such stooge accounts for the purpose of money laundering. Members of the public, including incoming talent, should properly protect their personal information and never lend or sell personal accounts to any third party.

     Incoming talent may refer to the ICAC’s education resources on corruption prevention (www.icac.org.hk/icac/smart/en/index.html) for details on anti-corruption laws and related information. For scam prevention, incoming talent may use Scameter on the CyberDefender website (cyberdefender.hk/en-us/scameter/) or the mobile application “Scameter+” to verify suspicious or high-risk transaction counterparts. If in doubt, they should call the Anti-Scam Helpline 18222 for enquiries. Moreover, at the themed seminar today, a speaker from a local talent networking group shared with participants Hong Kong’s social culture and customs.

     HKTE has held online and physical seminars or workshops from March 2024 in collaboration with working partners on a wide range of topics, such as job seeking, business start-ups, education, accommodation, living tips and Cantonese learning. Talent who have arrived in Hong Kong may obtain event details from HKTE’s social media or by contacting HKTE via email (hkte@hkengage.gov.hk). read more

     The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, and the Permanent Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Ms Shirley Lam, led more than 20 youth volunteer interns participating in the United Nations Volunteers – Hong Kong Universities Volunteer Internship Programme to visit the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (OCMFA) today (June 27), and met with Deputy Commissioner of the OCMFA Mr Fang Jianming. The Chairman of the Agency for Volunteer Service (the co-organiser of the Programme), Ms Melissa Kaye Pang, also joined the visit. 
      
     The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau promulgated the Youth Development Blueprint in end-2022. The vision is to nurture a new generation of young people with an affection for the country and for Hong Kong and equipped with global perspectives, an aspiring mindset and positive thinking, who will make contributions to the development of the country and the city. The Government launched the Programme in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) Volunteers and provides funding support to local university students to undertake six-month volunteer placements in different UN agencies. This would help young people develop their personal capabilities and expand their horizons, and also provide an opportunity for them to contribute to the international community in the capacity as Chinese youth volunteers. This year, the Programme offers a total of 25 internship placements in different UN agencies located in Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Nepal, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
      
     During her remarks, Miss Mak expressed gratitude to the OCMFA for its support to the Programme, especially the arrangements of today’s visit. She also thanked the representatives from the Department of International Organizations and Conferences of the OCMFA for introducing the work of the OCMFA to the youth volunteer interns, which would help deepen their understanding of the country’s foreign affairs prior to their departure. She mentioned that this year’s Programme has been expanded to cover more countries along the Belt and Road regions and was well received by young people, with the number of applications nearly doubled compared to the previous year. She said she hopes that the interns could broaden their global perspectives, understand China’s contributions and influences across the world through this valuable experience, and also take the opportunity to tell the world good stories of Hong Kong.
      
     The youth volunteer interns will depart to undertake volunteer placements in the UN agencies (e.g. the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, etc) starting from next month.     

      

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has long been committed to combating the sale of chilled or frozen meat disguised as fresh meat, and raided a licensed fresh provision shop (FPS) in North District suspected of selling frozen meat as fresh meat today (June 27).   
      
     During the operation, FEHD officers raided a licensed FPS in the market of the Queens Hill Shopping Centre in Fanling, and marked and sealed about 206 kilograms of suspected frozen beef for further investigation. A beef sample was also collected for detection of preservatives. Prosecution will be initiated if sufficient evidence is collected. The licensee of the FPS is suspected of breaching the licensing condition for the display and sale of frozen meat as fresh meat, and the FEHD is proceeding with the cancellation of the FPS’s licence.
      
     FEHD officers also initiated prosecution against the operator of the FPS for dirtiness of the premises. A verbal warning was also given for non-compliance with the relevant licensing condition for failing to provide delivery notes for inspection. 
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     A spokesman for the FEHD said, “The selling of chilled or frozen meat disguised as fresh meat breaches the licensing condition and causes food safety problems. The operation of these profiteers is unfair to other shops that comply with the requirements.”
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     The spokesman added, “Anyone selling chilled or frozen meat without permission commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months’ imprisonment on conviction. The department will continue to conduct regular inspections at licensed FPSs and market meat stalls, and will actively handle the complaints received. In detecting any irregularities, the FEHD will carry out immediate investigations and take appropriate enforcement action. In addition, the FEHD also proactively investigates suspected violations from time to time, and conducts surprise inspections and enforcement action as necessary. If there is sufficient evidence, prosecution will be initiated and follow-up action will be taken against the breach of licensing conditions or tenancy agreements. The licences of FPSs breaching the licensing conditions may be cancelled, while the tenancies of market meat stalls breaching the tenancy agreements may be terminated.”    

     The spokesman stressed that the FEHD is very concerned about the situation, and has been committed to combating the sale of chilled or frozen meat disguised as fresh meat by taking stringent enforcement action against the violations.

  

     Hong Kong Customs on June 25 seized a total of about 15 kilograms of suspected dangerous drugs with an estimated market value of about $9 million in Tsuen Wan. 

     Through risk assessment, Customs on that day inspected three air parcels, declared as carrying pet food, snacks and seasonings and arriving in Hong Kong from the United States, at a warehouse of a local consolidator company in Tsuen Wan. Upon inspection, Customs officers found that three parcels had suspected dangerous drugs concealed inside, including about 9 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine and about 6 kilograms of suspected liquid cocaine.

     After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers conducted a controlled delivery operation yesterday (June 26) in Tsuen Wan and arrested two male consignees, aged 17 and 18. The two arrested persons have been jointly charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. They will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (June 28).

     Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods.

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Customs reminds young people to pay attention to the fact that drug trafficking is a serious criminal offence. Criminal conviction will result in grave repercussions for their future and they should not take risks in the hope that they may not be caught.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking 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/).