Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cannabis buds at airport
Hong Kong Customs today (June 22) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 12 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $2.1 million.
A 25-year-old Chinese male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cannabis buds inside the check-in suitcase possessed by him. The man was subsequently arrested.
The arrested man has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (June 23).
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.
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 seizes suspected cannabis buds at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cannabis buds at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
University Grants Committee holds University Leadership Forum 2026
The following is issued on behalf of the University Grants Committee:
The University Grants Committee (UGC) held the University Leadership Forum2026 today (June 22)to introduce its latest initiatives to council members and senior management of the eight UGC-funded universities, and to facilitate an exchange of views with representatives of university councils on the development of higher education in Hong Kong.
In his welcoming remarks, the Chairman of the UGC, Mr Tim Lui, said, "Today offers a timely opportunity to explore how we may better integrate into and contribute to national development in alignment with the 15th Five-Year Plan and Hong Kong's Five-Year Plan, in particular the strategic goal of building China into a leading powerhouse of global education. Our national strategy highlights integrated development in education, science, technology, and talent, while nurturing new quality productive forces. Hong Kong's role as a hub for top talent and innovation is therefore highly important. The Government's strong commitment to providing stable and generous funding for our higher education system while preserving academic freedom and institutional autonomy is an important factor for the success of our universities. At the same time, we do expect good governance and close collaboration between the UGC and the universities in response to the expectation of the wider public and our national aspiration."
At the Forum, the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, delivered a keynote speech on Hong Kong's Five-Year Plan. She noted that the consultation document for Hong Kong's Five-Year Plan explicitly lists "advancing the integrated development of education, technology, and talent" as the core strategy for constructing an international hub for high-calibre talent. Higher education in Hong Kong serves precisely as the key vehicle to translate the strategic positioning of "invigorating the country through science and education" into concrete actions. By converging top global talent via an internationalised educational environment, and utilising the Northern Metropolis University Town as a strategic fulcrum to drive the deep integration of industry, academia, and research, the city can serve national strategic goals with high-quality higher education.
Dr Choi said that the eight UGC-funded universities have achieved outstanding performance in the 2027 World University Rankings recently released by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). She said she firmly believed that on this basis, the leaders of all institutions will seize the opportunities presented by the Five-Year Plan to deeply align their institutional development plans with national strategies and Hong Kong's future development. By leveraging Hong Kong's advantages to serve the country's needs, the international standing of Hong Kong's higher education can be elevated to better integrate into and serve the overall development of the nation.
The Council Chairman of City University of Hong Kong, Professor Michael Ngai; the Council Chairman of Hong Kong Baptist University, Dr Kennedy Wong; the Council Chairman of Lingnan University, Andrew Yao; and the Council Chairman of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor John Chai, participated in a panel discussion moderated by Mr Lui on building Hong Kong into an international education hub through international and national collaboration.
The Council Chairman of the Education University of Hong Kong, Dr David Wong; the Deputy Council Chairman of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Dr Daniel Yip; the Council Chairman of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Professor Harry Shum; and Council member of the University of Hong Kong Mr Jimmy Ng participated in another panel discussion moderated by the Chairman of the Research Grants Council, Professor Timothy W. Tong, on preparing Hong Kong's higher education for global leadership in the digital era.
The Forum enabled university councils and senior management to gain deeper insights into key issues relating to the development of the higher education sector in Hong Kong. The UGC expressed its sincere gratitude to the more than 160 leaders from the higher education sector who attended the Forum and contributed to its success.
University Grants Committee holds University Leadership Forum 2026 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
University Grants Committee holds University Leadership Forum 2026 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
University Grants Committee holds University Leadership Forum 2026 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
University Grants Committee holds University Leadership Forum 2026 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
University Grants Committee holds University Leadership Forum 2026 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
