Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes
An incoming passenger was sentenced to two months' imprisonment and fined by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (November 7) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
Customs officers intercepted a 37-year-old incoming male passenger at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (November 6) and seized 34 200 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $153,900 and a duty potential of about $113,000, from his personal baggage. He was subsequently arrested.
Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.
Under the DCO, tobacco products 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 illicit cigarette 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).
Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Speech by CE at Fourth Edition of Women Power Forum
Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the Fourth Edition of Women Power Forum today (April 1):
Ladies and gentlemen, I am very pleased to join you, today, for the fourth Women Power Forum, delighted to be here among so many esteemed female leaders and distinguished guests.
They say women hold up half the sky, and in today's Hong Kong, that is exactly what we see.
In the private sector, a growing number of listed companies now have a good number of female directors, and women's participation in corporate leadership continues to rise. In the professional world, more than half of our accountants and lawyers are women. And within the Government, eight out of 15 directors of bureaux, along with the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, are women. Forty-nine per cent of our civilian civil servants are also women.
In short, women are both the leaders and the backbone of our economy and our government. Hong Kong is clearly far better because of it, because of the women of Hong Kong. Very proud of you all.
Hong Kong's achievements stand as a powerful testament to our unwavering commitment to women's development and gender equality.
We champion these goals because we recognise a fundamental truth: that women's progress is not just a women's issue; it is a shared responsibility, one that benefits everyone. In Hong Kong and around the world.
That's why the theme of this year's Women Power Forum is "Women Across Nations: Unite to Prosper." Working together, we can continue to drive progress, locally, regionally and globally.
I wish you all a rewarding Forum and, for those of you here from outside Hong Kong, an enjoyable stay in the world's rising East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. Thank you.
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, attended the Fourth Edition of Women Power Forum today (April 1). Photo shows State Councillor, Chairperson of the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council and President of the All-China Women's Federation (AWF), Ms Shen Yiqin (front row, seventh right); Mr Lee (front row, eighth right); the Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group, Vice-President and First Member of the Secretariat of the AWF, and Vice-Chairperson of the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council, Ms Huang Xiaowei (front row, sixth right); Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council and Member of the Party Group of the State Council, Mr Liu Yuhui (front row, ninth right); Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Mr Liu Guangyuan (front row, fifth right); Deputy Head of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR Mr Sun Qingye (front row, 10th right); Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR Mr Li Yongsheng (front row, fourth right); the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak (front row, 12th right); the Chairperson of the Hong Kong Federation of Women, Ms Pansy Ho (front row, 11th right), and other guests at the event. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, attended the Fourth Edition of Women Power Forum today (April 1). Photo shows State Councillor, Chairperson of the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council and President of the All-China Women's Federation (AWF), Ms Shen Yiqin (seventh right); Mr Lee (eighth right); the Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group, Vice-President and First Member of the Secretariat of the AWF, and Vice-Chairperson of the National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council, Ms Huang Xiaowei (sixth right); Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council and Member of the Party Group of the State Council, Mr Liu Yuhui (ninth right); Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Mr Liu Guangyuan (fifth right); Deputy Head of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR Mr Sun Qingye (10th right); Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR Mr Li Yongsheng (fourth right); the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak (12th right); the Chairperson of the Hong Kong Federation of Women, Ms Pansy Ho (11th right), and other guests officiating at the event. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, speaks at the Fourth Edition of Women Power Forum today (April 1). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
