Hong Kong Customs detects suspected case of illegal importing of animals
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (August 25) detected a suspected case of illegal importing of animals involving a cross-boundary private car at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Hong Kong Port. Two suspected illegally imported kittens with an estimated market value of about $30,000 were seized.
Based on risk assessment and intelligence analysis, Customs officers yesterday intercepted the incoming private car at the HZMB Hong Kong Port for inspection and found the two kittens inside two handbags on the rear passenger seats of the vehicle. A 42-year-old male driver and a 38-year-old female passenger were subsequently arrested.
The case has been handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department for follow-up action.
Customs reminds the public that importing animals into Hong Kong without a valid permit is an offence.
Under the Rabies Regulation, any person found guilty of illegally importing animals, carcasses or animal products is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for one year.
Members of the public may report any suspected illegal importing of animals 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 suspected case of illegal importing of animals Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects suspected case of illegal importing of animals Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects suspected case of illegal importing of animals Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Annual update of aggregate list of eligible universities under TTPS
The Government announced today (December 28) that the annually updated aggregate list of eligible universities under the Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) will take effect on January 1, 2026.
The TTPS aims to attract talent in the following three categories:
Category A: persons with annual income reaching HK$2.5 million or above in the year immediately preceding the date of application;
Category B: full-time bachelor's degree graduates of the universities/institutions prescribed in the aggregate list (eligible universities/institutions) with at least three years of work experience over the past five years immediately preceding the date of application; or
Category C: full-time bachelor's degree graduates of eligible universities/institutions in the past five years immediately preceding the date of application with less than three years of work experience.
At present, the aggregate list comprises the top 100 universities/institutions in four world university rankings (namely the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, the U.S. News and World Report's Best Global Universities Rankings and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Academic Ranking of World Universities) in the past five years; the top five universities/institutions providing specialised hotel programmes on the QS World University Rankings in the discipline of "hospitality and leisure management" in the past five years; the top five specialised institutions on the QS World University Rankings in the discipline of "Art and Design" in the past five years; and the top 20 ranked Mainland universities under the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Best Chinese Universities Ranking in the past five years.
The number of eligible universities/institutions in the updated aggregate list (see Annex)will increase from 199 to 200, reflecting the changes to the relevant university rankings.
The updated list will be uploaded onto the online platform of Hong Kong Talent Engage (www.hkengage.gov.hk) and the TTPS webpage of the Immigration Department (www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/visas/TTPS.html) on January 1, 2026.
