Lorry driver convicted and jailed for attempting to export unmanifested cargo and illegally exporting prohibited articles
A 53-year-old lorry driver was sentenced to four months' imprisonment today (March 13) by the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts for attempting to export unmanifested cargo and having prohibited articles without a licence, in breach of the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO) (Cap. 60).
Through risk assessment, Hong Kong Customs officers earlier intercepted an outbound lorry declared as carrying express parcels at the Shenzhen Bay Control Point. A batch of unmanifested cargo, including 192 human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, 276 packets of proprietary Chinese medicine and 1 631 boxes of pharmaceutical products, was found in the driver compartment and the cargo compartment. The total estimated market value of the cargo was about $590,000. The lorry driver was arrested immediately.
Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence imposes a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.
Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the IEO, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction. Any person who exports pharmaceutical products and medicines without a valid licence commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for two years.
Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling 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
Grading of beach water quality released
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (March 13) released the latest grading of water quality for 10 gazetted beaches that are open for swimming, including six that are open to swimmers all year round and four others that are open for swimming since March 1.
Seven beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1) and three as Fair (Grade 2).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Clear Water Bay Second Beach |
Silver Mine Bay Beach |
Deep Water Bay Beach |
Silverstrand Beach |
Golden Beach |
Stanley Main Beach |
Repulse Bay Beach |
Grade 2 beaches are:
Big Wave Bay Beach |
Lido Beach |
Casam Beach |
Compared with the grading released last week, there was no change in the grading for these beaches.
Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, an EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a tropical cyclone or heavy rainfall.
A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666. Members of the public can also obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information for all beaches that are open for swimming through the EPD's dedicated webpage on the beach water quality forecast (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast).
Source: AI-found images
