HKETO Berlin Sponsors Berlin CityCup Dragon Boat Races, Promoting Cultural Exchanges

HKETO Berlin sponsors Berlin CityCup dragon boat races

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Berlin (HKETO Berlin) sponsored the 27th Berlin CityCup dragon boat races held on July 4 (Berlin time).

The Acting Director of HKETO Berlin, Mr Billy Leung, said that the race gathered paddlers from different cultural backgrounds. HKETO Berlin staff and Hong Kong people in Germany formed a team, the "Hong Kong Waverunners", with German paddlers, which serves as an example of fostering friendly people-to-people exchanges between Hong Kong and Germany.

Mr Leung also highlighted that Hong Kong would host the next edition of International Dragon Boat Federation World Dragon Boat Racing Championships. As an attractive tourist destination with a variety of international cultural and sports mega events taking place throughout the year, Hong Kong offers visitors a multitude of enchanting experiences.

To showcase Hong Kong's unique advantages and dynamic developments, HKETO Berlin set up a booth to promote work and study opportunities in Hong Kong. Visitors were introduced to the "Study in Hong Kong" brand, talent attraction schemes, and mega events to be held in Hong Kong during the second half of the year.

About HKETO Berlin

HKETO Berlin is the official representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Germany as well as Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Berlin (HKETO Berlin) sponsored the Berlin CityCup dragon boat races held on July 4 (Berlin time). Photo shows the booth set up by HKETO Berlin to promote work and study opportunities in Hong Kong. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Berlin (HKETO Berlin) sponsored the Berlin CityCup dragon boat races held on July 4 (Berlin time). The Director of HKETO Berlin, Mr Indiana Wong (first right), was pictured with team members of the "Hong Kong Waverunners" formed by paddlers from Germany and Hong Kong recently. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Berlin sponsored the Berlin CityCup dragon boat races held on July 4 (Berlin time). Photo shows the team called the "Hong Kong Waverunners" (boat No. 1) formed by paddlers from Germany and Hong Kong in a race. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected illicit cigarettes worth about $1.8 million

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (July 17) seized about 400 000 suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $1.8 million and a duty potential of about $1.3 million, at the Customs Tsing Yi Cargo Examination Compound.

Through risk assessment, Customs officers yesterday inspected a 20-foot seaborn consolidated container, declared as aluminum sheet, arriving in Hong Kong from Vietnam. Officers seized 400 000 suspected illicit cigarettes inside one of the consignments. The criminals had modified hollowed-out aluminum sheets as a container to conceal the illicit cigarettes in an attempt to deter detection by Customs.

Customs stresses that smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60), any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years. Moreover, under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109), any person who 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).

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected illicit cigarettes worth about $1.8 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected illicit cigarettes worth about $1.8 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected illicit cigarettes worth about $1.8 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases