Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cannabis buds at airport
Hong Kong Customs today (August 17) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 4 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $850,000.
A 55-year-old Mainland male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday (August 16). During Customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cannabis buds inside his carry-on baggage. He was then 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 (August 18).
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
In-situ land exchange arrangements for San Tin Technopole to invite applications
The Lands Department (LandsD) issued today (August 17) Practice Note No. 8/2026 inviting in-situ land exchange applications for designated development sites within the San Tin Technopole (STT). The Practice Note is available on the LandsD's website (www.landsd.gov.hk), which provides the location of sites available for in-situ land exchange applications, application criteria and conditions, application deadlines, etc.
In accordance with the in-situ land exchange arrangements for the Enhanced Conventional New Town Approach (refer to Practice Note No. 13/2023), the scope for land exchange applications this time covers some of the sites planned for private residential development (about 17.7 hectares), mixed residential and commercial development (about 7.5 ha) and modern industry sites mainly for logistics and storage uses within the STT (about 8.8 ha).
The deadline for submitting applications is October 16, 2026, while the deadline for acceptance of binding basic terms offer (with premium) is August 17, 2027. If an application cannot be concluded within the specified deadline, the Government will proceed to initiate land resumption procedures in taking forward the development of the new development area so as not to delay the overall works programme.
Applicants may choose standard rates for premium assessment, as an alternative to the conventional case-by-case assessment mechanism. The applicable level of standard rates will be announced later.
This round of land exchange applications also allows applicants to offer land within the Northern Metropolis (NM) and included in the list of designated projects for offsetting the land premium (refer to Practice Note No. 10/2025). The LandsD has announced the list of eligible land, among which an applicant may propose, in the application documents, surrendering the lots they own. The Government will calculate the value of the offered land based on the applicable ex-gratia compensation rates for land resumption, for offsetting the land premium.
Besides, the Pilot Scheme on "Pay for What You Build" will also be applicable to non-residential use developments (refer to Practice Note No. 2/2026) under the scope for land exchange applications in the subject Practice Note.
The STT is located at the heart of the NM and in close proximity to the Shenzhen's innovation and technology (I&T) zone in Huanggang and Futian. This area will be a hub for clustered I&T development that creates synergy with Shenzhen I&T Zone, contributing to the development of the South-North dual engine (finance - I&T) for Hong Kong, and will develop to be a new community ideal for living, working and visiting. Site formation for the first batch of I&T land commenced in end 2024, with formed sites coming on stream in 2026 at the earliest.
Together with the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park at the Loop, the STT has a total development area of over 600 ha, half (300 ha) of it will be I&T land. The I&T land is capable of accommodating a gross floor area of about 7 million square metres, equivalent to 17 Science Parks, and comparable to the size of the 300-hectare I&T zone in Shenzhen on the other side of the Shenzhen River.
Source: AI-found images
