Interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements releases latest information and appeals to public and visitors to heed HZMB Zhuhai Port traffic during Chinese New Year Golden Week of Mainland
The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, released the following latest information today (February 13) on the traffic and public transport arrangements during the Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland (February 15 to 23):
According to the Zhuhai authority's notification, the temporary link bridge connecting Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Zhuhai Port and Qinglu South Road will be closed to all trafficfrom midnightofFebruary 15.HZMB users to Zhuhai should use public transport services as far as possible, plan their trips early and allow sufficient travelling time.
Following the closure of the above temporary link bridge, motorists can only travel to and from HZMB Zhuhai Port via the G94 Pearl River Delta Ring Expressway. The HKSAR Government anticipates that a large number of members of the public, visitors and cross-boundary vehicles will travel to and from Zhuhai and Macao via the HZMB during the Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland. The closure arrangements may affect the traffic of Zhuhai Port and neighbouring roads.
The Transport Department (TD) has steered the HZMB shuttle bus (Gold Bus) operator to strengthen its services for cross-boundary travel convenience. In addition, the TD has informed applicants with travel bookings under the Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles and drawntheir attention to the above arrangements. In case of traffic congestion, they should remain patient and follow the instructions of on-site law enforcement officers.
Members of the public can check real-time situations of the vehicle clearance plaza of the Zhuhai Port through the WeChat official accounts "hzmbzhport" or "zhuhaifabu" (traffic-info.gzazhka.com:5015/#/) (Chinese only) to plan their journeys ahead.
The HKSAR Government has been maintaining close liaison with the Zhuhai authority for joint monitoring of the HZMB traffic and its management. The TD's Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre operates round the clock to closely monitor the port traffic conditions and public transport services and to implement contingency measures when necessary to meet service demands.
The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements is tasked with holistically co-ordinating and steering the preparatory work of various government departments for welcoming visitors to Hong Kong during the Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland, as well as strengthening information dissemination to enable the public and visitors to plan their itineraries according to the latest situation.
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), Photo source: FB of the Transport Department
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million
Hong Kong Customs detected two dangerous drugs cases in Hong Kong International Airport and Yau Ma Tei respectively on April 1 and yesterday (April 2), and seized a total of about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine and about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine with a total estimated market value of about $3.4 million. Two persons suspected to be connected with the cases were arrested.
In the first case, a 43-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand on April 1. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine concealed inside food packaging in his baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.
In the second case, during an anti-narcotics operation conducted in Yau Ma Tei on April 2, Customs officers intercepted a 41-year-old man and later escorted him to a hotel room nearby for a search and seized about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine, a drug inhaling apparatus and a batch of drug packaging paraphernalia. The man was subsequently arrested.
The arrested persons have been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug respectively and will appear at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (April 4).
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 to 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, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods.
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.
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 $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
