AFCD Cracks Down on Fraudulent Sales at FarmFest 2026, Considers Permanent Ban for Violators

AFCD takes stringent actions on FarmFest stalls suspected of selling non-self-produced agricultural products

Regarding the suspected sale of non-self-produced agricultural products by individual farm stalls during FarmFest 2026, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) today (January 13) issued a stern statement emphasising that it will not tolerate any acts that deceive consumers, and will deal with any such violations seriously. The AFCD has referred case details to the Police and Hong Kong Customs, and is actively assisting law enforcement agencies in their investigations.

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), Photo source: reference image

In addition, the AFCD will disqualify the farms concerned from participating in the upcoming FarmFest, and is considering a permanent ban on non-compliant farmers from taking part in all future promotional activities organised by the AFCD. To prevent similar incidents from recurring, the AFCD is reviewing to optimise the event's contract terms, including introducing heavy penalties for breaches of contract and a compensation mechanism for claiming reputational damage. The AFCD will also require local agricultural organisations and associations to remind their members to ensure compliance in the sale of their products.

The AFCD has always attached great importance to the quality and origin of local agricultural and fisheries products sold at FarmFest. All participating farmers and fishermen must pass a qualification assessment in advance, including submitting detailed information on the agricultural and fisheries products intended for sale. Prior to FarmFest, AFCD officers will conduct on-site inspections of all participating local farms to record the varieties and quantities of produce in detail, ensuring that products sold during the event are produced by the farms themselves. In this incident, AFCD officers ordered seven stalls suspected of irregularities to cease operation immediately on the second day of the event (January 10), and took action against another stall suspected of irregularities on the last day (January 11).

The AFCD reiterates zero-tolerance attitude towards any violation of FarmFest operation contract terms. The objective of FarmFest is to promote premium local agricultural and fisheries products to the public. The AFCD will strive to uphold the reputation of the event, safeguard the interests of law-abiding local farmers and the general public, and ensure the healthy and sustainable development of the local agricultural and fisheries industry.

FarmFest 2026, Photo source: news.gov.hk

Hong Kong Customs cracks $4.7 billion money laundering case and dismantles dangerous drug packing and distribution centre

Hong Kong Customs mounted an operation codenamed "Axis" yesterday (March 11) and arrested a local man who is suspected of dealing with a total of about $4.7 billion of funds with unknown sources via his bank accounts of two companies between April 2022 and February 2026. During the follow-up investigation, another local man who was suspected of operating a dangerous drugs packing and distribution centre was arrested in a commercial premises.

Customs officers targeted a money laundering syndicate and initiated financial investigation against a 66-year-old local man. It was revealed that his financial background was highly incommensurate with the enormous transactions conducted in his company bank accounts. It is suspected that he had dealt with suspicious funds through local companies accounts and engaged in money laundering activity.

After an in-depth investigation,Customs officers raided a residential address yesterday and seized mobile phones and bank documents therein. During the premises search against the business address of one of the subject companies, Customs officers seized a bankbook counter, cash, bank cards, suspected dangerous drugs, including cannabis buds, cannabis oil products, cocaine, methamphetamine, ketamine, MDMA tablets and a batch of suspected drug packaging paraphernalia and inhalation apparatuses, about 9 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes and suspected nicotine oil. The estimated market value of the drug seizures was about $300,000. A 36-year-old local man was arrested.

Customs will conduct follow up investigation under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance (OSCO), Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, Dutiable Commodities Ordinance and Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, the likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.

Under the OSCO, a person commits an offence if he or she deals with any property knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that such property, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly represents any person's proceeds of an indictable offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and imprisonment for 14 years while the crime proceeds are also subject to confiscation.

Members of the public may report any suspected money laundering 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).

Source: AI-found images