Property owner fined over $100,000 for not complying with removal order
An owner was convicted and fined $106,000 in total, of which $6,000 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts yesterday (July 7) for failing to comply with a removal order issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).
The Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts, the Kwun Tong Law Courts Building
The case involved a cockloft of about 44 square metres in a ground floor shop of a composite building on Wan Hon Street, Kwun Tong. As the unauthorised building work (UBW) was carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO. Failing to comply with the removal order, the owner was prosecuted by the BD.
A spokesman for the BD said today (July 8), "UBWs may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take stringent enforcement action against owners who fail to comply with removal orders, including instigation of prosecution, to ensure building and public safety."
Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year's imprisonment, and a further fine of up to $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.
Source: AI-found images
Local man convicted and jailed for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes
A local man was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (July 8) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
Customs officers intercepted a 60-year-old man for inspection at the Chung Ying Street Checkpoint in Sha Tau Kok on June 24. Upon inspection, a total of 700 duty-not-paid cigarettes were found on him and in his shoulder bag, with an estimated market value of about $3,500 and a duty potential of about $2,300. He was subsequently arrested.
Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offence.
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).
Local man convicted and jailed for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Local man convicted and jailed for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
