Tag Archives: China

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (April 29) shut down a suspected storage centre for duty-not-paid cigarettes, commonly known as “cheap whites”, in Lok Ma Chau and three suspected sales outlets for these cigarettes in Mei Foo, Kwai Chung and Tai Kok Tsui, seizing a total of about 1.03 million suspected duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $4.6 million and a duty potential of about $3.4 million.
      
     Yesterday afternoon, Customs discovered that a suspicious light goods vehicle departed from a metal shed in Lok Ma Chau and distributed suspected duty-not-paid cigarettes to a newsstand and two stores downtown. Later, Customs officers intercepted the light goods vehicle and seized about 330 000 suspected duty-not-paid cigarettes inside. A total of about 100 000 suspected “cheap whites” were also seized at the newsstand in Mei Foo, as well as the two stores in Kwai Chung and Tai Kok Tsui. Thereafter, Customs further searched the metal shed in Lok Ma Chau and seized a total of about 600 000 suspected duty-not-paid cigarettes of multiple brands therein and from a truck inside, shutting down the suspected “cheap whites” storage centre.
      
     During the operation, Customs arrested two men and three women, aged between 33 and 60. They comprise a truck driver, a truck assistant, as well as three newsstand and store owners and employees.
      
     An investigation is ongoing. Customs will continue to trace the source and the flow of the batch of suspected duty-not-paid cigarettes.
      
     Customs found that illicit cigarette syndicates would disguise duty-not-paid cigarettes as duty-paid ones and lure retail merchants such as newsstands and stores with the promise of considerable profits to act as distributors or promoters of these duty-not-paid cigarettes on the market. In addition, the illicit cigarette syndicates would use remote and concealed metal huts as a cover to increase the difficulties for law enforcement by Customs.
      
     Customs reminds all retailers, including newsstands, convenience stores and grocery stores, that if the department has reasonable suspicion that the cigarettes being sold are duty-not-paid, regardless of the quantity of cigarettes involved, decisive enforcement actions will be taken. Meanwhile, Customs appeals retailers not to sell cigarettes of unknown sources. They must ascertain whether the relevant cigarette companies or intermediaries are legal and whether the cigarettes they supply are duty-paid in order to avoid criminal liability.
      
     Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
      
     Retailers and members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette 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 Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (April 30) obtained closure orders from the court against two food premises in Yau Ma Tei that have been persistently operating without a licence and causing serio… read more

     The Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) and the Elderly Commission (EC) held an Elder Academy (EA) Appreciation and Award Ceremony this afternoon (April 30) to thank organisations and individuals for their support for the EA Scheme and commend outstanding elderly learners. Some 200 participants attended the ceremony.

     Addressing the ceremony, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, said that the EA Scheme aims to promote active ageing, as well as encourage the elderly to pursue lifelong learning and integration into the community. Maintaining a positive attitude and leading an engaged life are conducive to both the physical and mental wellness of the elderly. The 2023 Policy Address announced that the Government would inject an additional $80 million to support the sustainable development of the EA Scheme for the benefit of more elderly persons.
 
     The Chairman of the EC, Dr Donald Li, thanked the organisations and individuals for their generous donations and support. The Scheme provides diversified study courses for the elderly, and the EAs in post-secondary institutions help realise elderly persons’ dreams of attending university.  At the same time, the Scheme fosters intergenerational and community harmony through cross-generational activities.
 
     Also officiating at the ceremony were the Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Alice Lau; former Chairmen of the EC, namely Dr Edward Leong and Dr Lam Ching-choi; and the Chairperson of the Committee on EA Development Foundation (EADF), Ms Maggie Chan. Representatives of supporting organisations and convenors of EA Clusters across districts also attended. Supporting organisations and outstanding participants were presented with certificates of appreciation and various awards respectively while a cross-generational Chinese orchestra and a tai chi fan volunteer team put on performances to showcase elderly people’s vitality and talents.
 
     Members of the EC and the Committee on EADF, representatives of EAs, EA elderly learners as well as their families and friends, senior and young volunteers and Golden Guides also attended the ceremony.
 
     The EA Scheme was jointly launched by the LWB and the EC in 2007 to enable the elderly to learn in a school setting. Currently, there are about 200 EAs in primary, secondary and post-secondary institutions across the territory. The Scheme is expected to provide around 15 000 learning places in 2024-25, offering more courses and activities catering for the interests and needs of the elderly.
 
     The EA Scheme’s website (www.elderacademy.org.hk) has been enhanced with the details of the Scheme and the list of the supporting organisations.

          

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, will depart for Tbilisi, Georgia, to attend the 57th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on May 2 (Thursday) early morning.      Mr Ch… read more

     Hong Kong Customs mounted a special operation with the Zhongying Street Administration Bureau of Yantian District, Shenzhen, on Chung Ying Street, Sha Tau Kok, from April 17 until today (April 30) to combat the sale of counterfeit goods and duty-not-paid goods. 
      
     Customs earlier received information alleging that there were retail shops on Chung Ying Street, Sha Tau Kok, suspected of selling counterfeit goods and duty-not-paid goods. After an in-depth investigation and with the assistance of trademark owners, Customs officers took enforcement action during the abovementioned period and raided four retail shops and two stalls on Chung Ying Street, Sha Tau Kok. A total of about 4 000 items of suspected counterfeit goods, including leather goods, watches and cosmetics products, about 170 000 sticks of suspected illicit cigarettes and 28 bottles of suspected duty-not-paid liquor of about 19 litres in total, were seized. The total estimated market value was about $1.7 million, with a duty potential of about $600,000.

     During the operation, a 52-year-old male staff member of a retail shop was arrested. An investigation is ongoing. 
      
     With the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland approaching, Customs will continue to step up inspections and enforcement to vigorously combat counterfeit goods and duty-not-paid goods activities.
      
     Customs reminds consumers to procure goods at reputable shops and to check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt. Traders should also be cautious and prudent in merchandising since selling counterfeit goods and duty-not-paid goods are serious crimes and offenders are liable to criminal sanctions.
      
     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
      
     Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying duty-not-paid goods commits an offence. The maximum penalty is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeit 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/).