Two incoming air passengers convicted and jailed for dealing with duty-not-paid cigarettes
Two incoming air passengers were each sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (August 12) for dealing with duty-not-paid cigarettes, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) (Cap. 109).
Hong Kong Customs has been mounting a special enforcement operation to combat illicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers. Two Mainland male passengers aged 48 and 39, arriving in Hong Kong from Vientiane, Laos, via Hanoi, Vietnam, were arrested at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (August 11). A total of about 190 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $850,000 and a duty potential of about $627,000, were seized from their personal baggage.
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 and travellers that under the DCO, anyone involved in importing, dealing with, possession of, selling or buying 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, its dedicated crime-reporting email account(crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Two incoming air passengers were each sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (August 12) for dealing with duty-not-paid cigarettes, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109). Photo shows some duty-not-paid cigarettes seized from the personal baggage of one of the incoming passengers.
Two incoming air passengers were each sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (August 12) for dealing with duty-not-paid cigarettes, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109). Photo shows the personal baggage, which duty-not-paid cigarettes were concealed by one of the incoming passengers.
Employers, contractors and employees should be aware of electrical safety at work during rainstorms
As the rainstorm warning has been issued by the Hong Kong Observatory, the Labour Department (LD) reminds employers and contractors that they should adopt necessary work arrangements and take suitable safety measures to protect the safety of their employees when they are carrying out electrical work or handling electrical plant.
A spokesman for the LD said today (November 14) that employers and contractors should avoid assigning employees to carry out electrical work (such as electric arc welding work) or handle electrical plant at places affected by rainstorms, and should refer to the "Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and 'Extreme Conditions'" and the "Guide on Safety at Work in times of Inclement Weather" issued by the LD.
Even if electrical work is carried out or electrical plant is handled at places not affected by a rainstorm, suitable safety measures must still be adopted to prevent an electric shock as the air would be more humid. Such measures include:
(i) Ensure that all live parts of an electrical installation are isolated from the power supply source and rendered dead, and the isolation from the power supply source must be maintained as long as electrical work is being carried out;
(ii) Before carrying out any electrical work or handling any electrical plant, cut off and lock out the power supply source, then test the circuit concerned to confirm that it is dead and display suitable warning notices, and issue a work permit thereafter;
(iii) Ensure that protective devices (such as suitable and adequate fuses and circuit breakers) for the electrical installations or electrical plant have been installed and maintained in good working order, and portable electric tools must be double-insulated or properly earthed;
(iv) Provide suitable personal protective equipment such as insulating gloves and insulating mats for employees; and
(v) If live electrical work is unavoidable, a comprehensive risk assessment should be conducted by a competent person and the appropriate safety precautions should be taken to remove or properly control the electrical hazards involved before such work can proceed.
In addition, employees should co-operate with the employer or contractor to follow the safety instructions and use the safety equipment provided.
The LD has published guidebooks and leaflets on electrical work safety. These safety publications are available free from divisional offices of the department or can be downloaded from its website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/content2_8.htm).
Should there be any questions about occupational safety and health matters, please contact the Occupational Safety Officer of the LD at 2559 2297.
Source: AI-found images
