CSD Holds Drama and Music Performance for Secondary School Students at Stanley Prison

CSD holds drama and music performance for secondary school students at Stanley Prison

The Correctional Services Department (CSD) invited more than 300 teachers and students from 10 secondary schools to attend a "Creation and Rehabilitation" drama and music performance by persons in custody (PICs) under the Correctional Services Pioneer Project (CSPP) at Stanley Prison today (May 6). The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, Cardinal Stephen Chow, officiated at the opening ceremony of the performance.

In the performance, PICs staged for the students a drama featuring the story of the protagonist who faced difficulties in finding a job and was lured by peers to engage in online fraud through "click farming". He even lent his bank account to another person for money laundering for a period of 10 days. He was arrested on the last day of that period and was eventuallysentenced to imprisonment. The CSD hopes that through the drama, students can understand the prevalent scam tactics and the heavy price of engaging in criminal activities, reminding them to become law-abiding citizens.

During the sharing session, a PIC who was imprisoned for the offence of money laundering shared his experience with the students, hoping that they would learn from it and avoid committing crimes out of greed that could ultimately cost them their freedom.

Jointly organised by the CSD and the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong Lay Prison Evangelical Organisation, the "Creation and Rehabilitation" Programme has been implemented at Stanley Prison since 2011. The Programme integrates arts therapy into rehabilitation services and assists PICs in self-exploration and self-understanding through a series of creative workshops. In addition, more than 300 teachers and students from secondary schools attended the event at a correctional institution to meet PICs in person so as to understand the heavy price of committing crimes and the importance of abiding by the law. At the same time, through the creation and performance by PICs, students can deepen their understanding of diversified rehabilitation programmes of the CSD, thereby recognising the importance of rehabilitation and the significance of social harmony.

The CSD launched the CSPP to disseminate to young people the messages of safeguarding the country and home, leading a law-abiding and drug-free life as well as supporting offender rehabilitation. Since the implementation of the programme, more than 590 000 young people and people from various sectors have participated in various activities.

The Correctional Services Department invited more than 300 teachers and students from 10 secondary schools to attend a "Creation and Rehabilitation" drama and music performance by persons in custody (PICs) under the Correctional Services Pioneer Project at Stanley Prison today (May 6). Photo shows a student asking a question to a PIC during a sharing session. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Correctional Services Department invited more than 300 teachers and students from 10 secondary schools to attend a "Creation and Rehabilitation" drama and music performance by persons in custody (PICs) under the Correctional Services Pioneer Project at Stanley Prison today (May 6). Photo shows a PIC who was imprisoned for the offence of money laundering sharing his experience with the students in a sharing session, hoping that they would learn from it and avoid committing crimes out of greed that could ultimately cost them their freedom. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Correctional Services Department invited more than 300 teachers and students from 10 secondary schools to attend a "Creation and Rehabilitation" drama and music performance by persons in custody (PICs) under the Correctional Services Pioneer Project at Stanley Prison today (May 6). Photo shows PICs singing and playing music onstage. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Correctional Services Department invited more than 300 teachers and students from 10 secondary schools to attend a "Creation and Rehabilitation" drama and music performance by persons in custody under the Correctional Services Pioneer Project at Stanley Prison today (May 6). Photo shows the spectacular drama performance. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Correctional Services Department invited more than 300 teachers and students from 10 secondary schools to attend a "Creation and Rehabilitation" drama and music performance by persons in custody under the Correctional Services Pioneer Project at Stanley Prison today (May 6). Photo shows the officiating guest, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, Cardinal Stephen Chow, delivering a speech at the event. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for possession of duty-not-paid cigarettes

An incoming passenger was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment with a fine of $2,000 by the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (May 6) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Customs officers intercepted the incoming 32-year-old male passenger yesterday (May 5) at the West Kowloon Station of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and seized 2 161 duty-not-paid cigarettes from his personal baggage, with an estimated market value of about $8,860 and a duty potential of about $7,140. He was subsequently arrested.

Customs welcomes the sentence, noting that even a first-time offender may still be imprisoned. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. Members of the public should not defy the law.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes 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 possession of duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases