London ETO greets Year of Snake in Sweden
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (London ETO) and the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in Sweden co-hosted a Year of the Snake reception in Stockholm, Sweden, on January 14 (Stockholm time).
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London ETO greets Year of Snake in Sweden Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
London ETO greets Year of Snake in Sweden Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
London ETO greets Year of Snake in Sweden Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
London ETO greets Year of Snake in Sweden Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
London ETO greets Year of Snake in Sweden Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The evening began with a business seminar, featuring five speakers from the Swedish business community who shared opportunities in Hong Kong for investment and career development. In his welcome speech, the Director-General of the London ETO, Mr Gilford Law, highlighted Hong Kong's unique advantages, including a free and open investment environment, a simple and low tax system, modern infrastructure, logistics networks, and the unfettered flow of information, capital, goods and talent.
Mr Law added, "Our strengths have gained well-deserved recognition. Hong Kong is the world's 10th-largest merchandise trading entity and the fourth-largest destination for foreign direct investment. Canada's Fraser Institute, in its 2024 Economic Freedom of the World Report, ranked Hong Kong the world's freest economy. We also topped the Report's 'Freedom to trade internationally'. Hong Kong will continue to play a distinctive role as a 'super connector' and 'super value-adder'."
The reception was well attended by over 200 guests from the local business, academic and cultural sectors, as well as the Chinese community. The London ETO will continue to celebrate the Year of the Snake among the countries under its purview.
London ETO greets Year of Snake in Sweden Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
London ETO greets Year of Snake in Sweden Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
London ETO greets Year of Snake in Sweden Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
London ETO greets Year of Snake in Sweden Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
London ETO greets Year of Snake in Sweden Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $7.95 million
Hong Kong Customs detected two dangerous drugs cases in Tseung Kwan O and Hong Kong International Airport respectively yesterday (May 21) and today (May 22), and seized a total of about 21.8 kilograms of assorted drugs with a total estimated market value of about $7.95 million. Two men and one woman, aged between 38 and 49, were arrested.
In the first case, Customs officers intercepted a 48-year-old man and a 49-year-old woman in Tseung Kwan O during an anti-narcotics operation yesterday afternoon. About 3.8kg of suspected drugs, including ketamine, methamphetamine, etomidate capsules, psilocybin mushrooms, MDMA and a batch of suspected drug packaging paraphernalia were found in their residence in the same district. They were then arrested.
In the second case, a 38-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 18kg of suspected ketamine inside his check-in suitcase and 33 sticks of duty-not-paid cigarette inside his carry-on baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.
The arrested man and woman in the first case have been jointly charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and one count of possession of apparatus fit and intended for the inhalation of a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (May 23), while an investigation is ongoing for the second case.
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 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.
Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
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.
Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $7.95 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $7.95 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
