Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes
An incoming male passenger was sentenced to four months' imprisonment and fined $2,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (May 14) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
Customs officers intercepted an incoming male passenger, aged 44, at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (May 13) and seized 29 200 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $146,000 and a duty potential of about $96,500, from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.
Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.
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).
An incoming male passenger was sentenced to four months' imprisonment and fined $2,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (May 14) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance. Photo shows the duty-not-paid cigarettes seized. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Primary Healthcare Commission organises World Family Doctor Day event and commendation ceremony
In support of the World Family Doctor Day, the Primary Healthcare Commission (PHC Commission) under the Health Bureau (HHB) and the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians (HKCFP) jointly organised the World Family Doctor Day Carnival 2026 event for two consecutive days (May 16 and 17) at the Central Atrium, Olympian City 2, Kowloon, with an aim to promote the concept of "Family Doctor for All" and services under the Primary Healthcare Co-care Network to members of the public. The PHC Commission also held a commendation ceremony today to acknowledge the contributions of 30 family doctors who have actively participated in the Co-care Network to advance primary healthcare development.
Officiating at the commendation ceremony today, the Acting Secretary for Health, Dr Cecilia Fan, said, "This year's World Family Doctor Day is themed 'Compassionate Care in a Digital World'. Leveraging the opportunities brought by the rapid advancement of technology, we hope family doctors, members of the public and community stakeholders can jointly make good use of digital technology and AI, driving technology to serve as a key force in strengthening the doctor-patient relationship and building a healthy life together."
Dr Fan also remarked that the Government has launched the Co-care Network. Citizens can use the District Health Centres/District Health Centre Expresses (collectively referred to as DHCs) across all 18 districts in Hong Kong as the service entry point, and pair with a family doctor of their own choice. Determined by citizens' personal health conditions and risks, they can receive a series of preventive services, as well as screening and management services for high-risk diseases. Under the Co-care Network, family doctors, alongside cross-disciplinary primary healthcare service providers, will deliver continuous and comprehensive healthcare services to the citizens at different stages of their life.
At the commendation ceremony, Dr Fan presented certificates of appreciation to family doctors who have actively participated in the services under the Co-care Network, in recognition of their efforts and valuable contributions in assisting citizens to prevent and manage chronic diseases, advancing primary healthcare development in Hong Kong, and promoting community health.
This year's World Family Doctor Day event in Hong Kong was moved to the community and held in the form of a carnival. Through participating in relaxed and interesting activities, members of the public could further understand the role of family doctors, the latest developments in primary healthcare in Hong Kong, and the services provided under the Co-care Network and by the DHCs. Activities of the carnival also included free health check services (such as body composition analysis) and health talks on chronic diseases (including diabetes, hypertension and hepatitis B). Interactive projection installations were also featured at the venue, allowing citizens to experience first-hand the application of digital technology in physiotherapy and rehabilitation.
The Commissioner for Primary Healthcare of the HHB, Dr Pang Fei-chau; Vice-President of the HKCFP Dr Lau Ho-lim; Assistant Director of Health Dr Jackie Leung; and the Chief Manager (Primary and Community Services) of the Hospital Authority, Dr Maria Leung, also attended the carnival event and commendation ceremony today.
The DHCs across all 18 districts in Hong Kong will continue to organise a series of community activities focusing on family doctors this month, aiming to encourage more citizens to enrol as DHC members, pair with family doctors to establish a long-term doctor-patient relationship with mutual trust, and participate in services under the Co-care Network, with a view to achieving the goals of prevention-oriented and "early identification and early treatment".
Source: AI-found images
