Hong Kong Customs yesterday (April 24) conducted a special operation in Mong Kok to combat the sale of counterfeit goods and seized about 4 900 items of suspected counterfeit goods with an estimated market value of about $2.1 million.
      
     Customs earlier conducted patrols and discovered some fixed-pitch hawker stalls selling suspected counterfeit goods in Mong Kok. After investigations, Customs officers took enforcement action yesterday and raided 17 fixed-pitch hawker stalls on Tung Choi Street and a nearby storage site for counterfeit goods upstairs. A batch of suspected counterfeit goods, including handbags, leather goods, accessories, was seized.
      
     During the operation, two women, aged 37 and 45, were arrested.
      
     An investigation is ongoing.
      
     With the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland approaching, Customs will continue to step up inspection and enforcement to vigorously combat different kinds of counterfeit goods activities before and during the holidays in order to safeguard consumer rights at full strength.
      
     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 be cautious and prudent in merchandising since the sale of counterfeit goods is a serious crime 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.

     Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting 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 Government announced today (April 25) that Mr Kevin Choi, Private Secretary to the Chief Executive, will take up the post of Permanent Secretary, Chief Executive's Office on May 14, 2024, when Mr Daniel Cheng Chung-wai commences his pre-retirement leave on the same day.
 
     Commenting on the appointment of Mr Choi, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, said, "Mr Choi is a seasoned Administrative Officer with proven leadership and management skills. I have every confidence that he will shoulder the heavy responsibilities with professionalism in his new capacity."
 
     On the retirement of Mr Cheng who will proceed on pre-retirement leave, Mrs Yeung said, "Mr Cheng has rendered 35 years of loyal and dedicated service. During his tenure as Permanent Secretary, Chief Executive's Office, Mr Cheng provided wise counsel for the Chief Executive in the preparation for his first two Policy Addresses and other key policymaking processes. He also played an instrumental role in ensuring the smooth and effective operation of the Chief Executive's Office with his extensive experience in public administration, governance and protocol matters over the years. I wish him a fulfilling and happy retirement."
 
     Brief biographical notes of the two officers are set out below:
 
Mr Daniel Cheng Chung-wai
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     Mr Cheng joined the Administrative Service in July 1989 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade A in April 2022. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Finance Branch, the former City and New Territories Administration, the former Health and Welfare Branch, the former Trade and Industry Branch, the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Beijing, the former Planning and Lands Bureau (later reorganised as Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau), the former Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau, the former Education and Manpower Bureau (later renamed as Education Bureau), the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, and the former Food and Health Bureau. He was Director of Administration from July 2020 to May 2022, Secretary-General, Office of the Chief Executive-elect from May 2022 to June 2022, and has been serving as Permanent Secretary, Chief Executive's Office since July 1, 2022.
 
Mr Kevin Choi
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     Mr Choi joined the Administrative Service in October 1997 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in April 2022. He has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Planning, Environment and Lands Bureau (later renamed as Planning and Lands Bureau), the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the former Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau (later reorganised as Commerce and Economic Development Bureau), the Chief Executive's Office, the Development Bureau, and the Civil Aviation Department. He served as Deputy Secretary in the former Transport and Housing Bureau from September 2017 to December 2020, Deputy Secretary in the former Food and Health Bureau (later reorganised as Health Bureau) from December 2020 to February 2023, and has been serving as Private Secretary to the Chief Executive since February 2023.

    

     The Buildings Department approved 14 building plans in February, with five on Hong Kong Island, four in Kowloon and five in the New Territories.

     Of the approved plans, nine were for apartment and apartment/commercial developments, two were for commercial developments, and three were for community services developments.

     In the same month, consent was given for works to start on 14 building projects which, when completed, will provide 118 570 square metres of gross floor area for domestic use involving 2 755 units, and 137 906 sq m of gross floor area for non-domestic use. The department has received notification of commencement of superstructure works for four building projects.

     The department also issued 15 occupation permits, with four on Hong Kong Island, four in Kowloon and seven in the New Territories.

     Of the buildings certified for occupation, the gross floor area for domestic use was 34 731 sq m involving 1 756 units, and 120 810 sq m was for non-domestic use.

     The declared cost of new buildings completed in February totalled about $4.7 billion.

     In addition, six demolition consents involving six building structures were issued.

     The department received 2 062 reports about unauthorised building works (UBWs) in February and issued 553 removal orders on UBWs.

     The full version of the Monthly Digest for February can be viewed on the Buildings Department's homepage (www.bd.gov.hk).

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (April 25) that Tai Kok Tsui Swimming Pool in Yau Tsim Mong District, closed earlier on due to a power failure, has been reopened.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, April 25, 2024 is 106.2 (up 0.1 against yesterday's index).