Hong Kong Customs detects case of non-registered precious metals and stones dealer carrying out specified transactions
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (January 14) detected a case involving a local company that conducted a transaction of silver jewellery valued at over HK$120,000, without registration under the Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Regulatory Regime. The company director was arrested.
The investigation is ongoing. The arrested person has been released on bail.
According to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (Cap. 615), unless exempted, any person who is seeking to carry on a business of dealing in precious metals and stones and engage in any transaction(s) (whether making or receiving a payment) with a total value at or above HK$120,000 in Hong Kong is required to register with Hong Kong Customs. Any dealer, other than a registrant, who claims to be a registrant, claims to be authorised to carry out, or carries out any cash or non-cash transaction(s) with a total value at or above HK$120,000 is liable to a maximum fine of HK$100,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.
Customs reminds dealers in precious metals and stones that they must obtain the relevant registration before they can carry out any cash or non-cash transaction(s) with a total value at or above HK$120,000.
For the forms, procedures and guidelines to submit applications for registration, please visit the website for Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Registration System (www.drs.customs.gov.hk) or Customs' webpage (www.customs.gov.hk/en/service-enforcement-information/anti-money-laundering/supervision-of-dealers-in-precious-metals-and-ston/index.html).
Members of the public may report any suspected transactions involving precious metals and stones with a total value at or above HK$120,000 conducted without the required registration 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).
The Hong Kong Customs, Photo source: reference image
January 2026 issue of "Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics" now available
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (January 15) the January 2026 issue of the "Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics" (HKMDS).
Apart from providing up-to-date statistics, this issue also contains a feature articles entitled "Marriage and Divorce Trends in Hong Kong, 1991 to 2024".
"Marriage and Divorce Trends in Hong Kong, 1991 to 2024"
This feature article provides an overview on the marriage and divorce trends in Hong Kong from 1991 to 2024.
There has been an increasing tendency towards marriage postponement or non-marriage in both genders. In 2021, 30.9% of males and 27.0% of females had never been married (figures excluding foreign domestic helpers). The median ages at first marriage for males and females increased from 29.1 and 26.2 in 1991 to 32.6 and 31.0 in 2024 respectively. The number of registered marriages in Hong Kong decreased from 42 568 in 1991 to 32 825 in 2001 and gradually rebounded to 60 459 in 2012. A general downward trend resumed afterwards, with 44 196 registered marriages in 2024. On the other hand, Hong Kong females marrying Mainland males has become more common. The proportion of such marriages to all cross-boundary marriages increased significantly from 6.1% in 1991 to 40.0% in 2024. Furthermore, the number of divorces increased in the past 3 decades or so, with the crude divorce rate (per 1 000 population) increased from 1.11 in 1991 to 2.52 in 2024.
For enquiries about this feature article, please contact the Demographic Statistics Section (1) of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 6933; email: population@censtatd.gov.hk).
Published in bilingual form, the HKMDS is a compact volume of official statistics containing about 130 tables. It collects up-to-date statistical series on various aspects of the social and economic situation of Hong Kong. Topics include population; labour; external trade; National Income and Balance of Payments; prices; business performance; energy; housing and property; government accounts, finance and insurance; and transport, communications and tourism. For selected key statistical items, over 20 charts depicting the annual trend in the past decade and quarterly or monthly trend in the recent two years are also available. Users can download the Digest at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1010002&scode=460).
Enquiries about the contents of the Digest can be directed to the Statistical Information Dissemination Section (1) of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4738; email: gen-enquiry@censtatd.gov.hk).
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), Photo source: reference image
