Three Passengers Sentenced to Imprisonment and Fined $1,000 Respectively for Importing Duty-Not-Paid Cigarettes at Hong Kong Airport

Three Incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes

Three incoming passengers were sentenced to two to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 respectively by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (May 18) 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 27, at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) on March 21. Customs officers seized about 40 600 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $182,700 and a duty potential of about $134,200, from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested. He was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 today.

Separately, Customs officers intercepted two incoming male passengers, aged 27 and 39, at HKIA on May 16 and seized around 16 500 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $68,000 and a duty potential of about $54,900, as well as around 60 400 duty-not-paid cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $271,800 and a duty potential of about $199,700, respectively, from their personal baggage. The two passengers were subsequently arrested. They were respectively sentenced to two months' imprisonment with a fine of $1,000, and six months' imprisonment with a fine of $1,000 today.

Customs welcomes the sentences. The custodial sentences have imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflect 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).

Three incoming passengers were sentenced to two to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 respectively by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (May 18) 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 from the personal baggage of another 27-year-old incoming male passenger. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Three incoming passengers were sentenced to two to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 respectively by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (May 18) 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 from the personal baggage of a 39-year-old incoming male passenger. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Three incoming passengers were sentenced to two to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 respectively by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (May 18) 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 from the personal baggage of a 27-year-old incoming male passenger. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hospital Authority statement on intern doctor's inappropriate act

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

The Hospital Authority (HA) today (June 10) issued the following statement regarding social media posts discussing an intern doctor:

The HA is aware of recent social media posts concerning the inappropriate act of an intern doctor across different hospitals. The HA considers the matter extremely serious, affecting the professional image of healthcare staff.

The HA spokesperson reiterates that there is zero tolerance for any behaviour undermining patient safety and the professional conduct of doctors. Action has been taken to follow up rigorously to safeguard patient safety. The HA strongly condemns any inappropriate act concerned.

Regarding the suspicions of someone who logged into the Clinical Management System at Caritas Medical Centre (CMC) with another person's account and accessed patient records at Tuen Mun Hospital without authorisation, the HA has reported to the Police. The HA will co-operate fully with the police investigation and is conducting a comprehensive review of the relevant patient records to ascertain that patient safety has not been affected. No irregularities in patient treatment have been identified at this stage. The HA has immediately suspended the clinical duties of the intern doctor concerned and a resident doctor at Tuen Mun Hospital, and has also suspended their access right to the system in order to protect patient and system security.

The HA had previously seriously warned the intern doctor concerned for an inappropriate act committed during an internship at Ruttonjee Hospital, and had already taken disciplinary action against the intern doctor concerned and another resident doctor for inappropriate acts at CMC. The HA will continue to investigate whether the intern doctor concerned is involved in any other inappropriate act. If it is confirmed that the intern doctor concerned or any other doctor has engaged in an inappropriate act that violates medical professional standards, the HA will handle the matter seriously and refer it to the Medical Council of Hong Kong for follow-up.

The HA has notified the medical school of the relevant university to follow up on the intern doctor's assessment of being fit for practice.

The HA holds doctors to the highest standards of professional conduct, behaviour, and discipline. The HA insists that all doctors serving patients in public hospitals must possess both medical competence and conduct themselves in a professional manner. In addition to having professional knowledge to treat patients, they must uphold the strictest professional conduct and place patient well-being, safety, and care as their foremost priority at all times. The HA has absolutely zero tolerance for any form of behaviour that undermines the professional conduct of doctors. The HA will follow up on such behaviour with utmost seriousness, and will not permit any doctors concerned to practise in public hospitals to safeguard patient safety.

Source: AI-found images