Hong Kong Customs detects case involving precious metals and stones dealer carrying out specified cash transaction without Category B registration
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (August 18) detected a case involving a local company that conducted a cash transaction of a watch containing precious metals and stones valued at over HK$120,000 while not being a Category B registrant under the Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Regulatory Regime. The investigation is ongoing.
According to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (Cap. 615), unless exempted, any person who is seeking to carry on a business of dealing in precious metals and stones and engage in any transaction(s) (whether making or receiving a payment) with a total value at or above HK$120,000 in Hong Kong is required to register with Hong Kong Customs.
In particular, no person other than a Category B registrant may carry out a cash transaction with a total value at or above HK$120,000 in the course of business of dealing in precious metals and stones. Any dealer who is not a Category B registrant, who claims to be a Category B registrant, claims to be authorised to carry out, or carries out any cash transaction(s) with a total value at or above HK$120,000, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of HK$100,000 and imprisonment for six months.
Customs reminds dealers in precious metals and stones that they must obtain the relevant registration before they can carry out any cash or non-cash transaction(s) with a total value at or above HK$120,000.
For the forms, procedures and guidelines to submit applications for registration, please visit the website for Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Registration System (www.drs.customs.gov.hk) or Customs' webpage (www.customs.gov.hk/en/service-enforcement-information/anti-money-laundering/supervision-of-dealers-in-precious-metals-and-ston/index.html).
Members of the public may report any suspected transactions involving precious metals and stones with a total value at or above HK$120,000 conducted without the required registration 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).
Source: AI-found images
DPO holds Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 Send-off Ceremony for Hong Kong delegation
The Digital Policy Office today (August 19) held the Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 Send-off Ceremony for the Hong Kong delegation. Addressing the event, the Acting Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Daniel Cheung, highlighted the vast prospects for collaboration between Hong Kong and Shanghai in digital economy and the application of data elements. He also extended his blessings to the Hong Kong teams to excel in the upcoming Final Judging in Shanghai and win honour for Hong Kong.
The competition has received an enthusiastic response this year, attracting over 70 individual and team entries, almost doubling that of the previous edition. Following the first judging, 12 teams from various enterprises and institutions in Hong Kong have advanced to the Final Judging. These finalists will depart for Shanghai on August 24 to compete alongside finalist teams from Shanghai, vying for a place among the top four finalists and the Grand Award of the competition. Selected entries may be nominated to compete at the Asia Pacific Information and Communications Technology Alliance Awards 2026.
The teams representing Hong Kong in the Final Judging are as follows:
| Category | Team name | Solution |
| Smart Economy | Transcendence Company Limited | C-SMART All-in-one Smart Construction Management Platform |
| Smart Economy | Cobot AI | IntelliTouch |
| Smart Economy | KUBOT | Synergistic Multimodal AI Platform for Open-Data Intelligence |
| Smart Environment | Lands Department / AECOM Asia Company Limited / China Energy Engineering Group Guangdong Electric Power Design Institute Co., LTD | Underground Utilities Information System |
| Smart Environment | Digital Common(s) | Digital Common(s) |
| Smart Living | Hong Kong Metropolitan University | AI2 |
| Smart Living | Insights Pro Limited | Drone |
| Smart Living | EverBuddy | Early Intervention and Mental Health Assessment via Conversational AI |
| Smart Living | Bioinformatics Team, Hong Kong Metropolitan University | Vascular Age Estimation Using Clinical Parameters: A Comparative Study of Machine Learning and Deep Learning |
| Smart Living | SmartAge Intelligence Limited | SmartAge Home System - An Intelligent Guardian for Healthy Aging |
| Smart Mobility | CUHK ASEI+X. | Celestial Grid Network: AI Low Altitude Management System |
| Smart Mobility | FAITH (Frankie and Apple Intelligence Technology HK) | Cross-border Self-drive Transportation Trusted Data Service Platform (HK Drive Safe) |
(Ranking in no particular order)
Addressing the ceremony, Mr Cheung remarked on the fruitful outcomes between Hong Kong and Shanghai in propelling the synergistic development of the digital economy through the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between Shanghai and Hong Kong on Digital Economy Co-operation as well as the establishment of the Working Group on Shanghai and Hong Kong Digital Co-operation. The staging of this year's competition stands as another example of the deepening collaboration in innovation and technology (I&T) between the two cities.
During their visit to Shanghai, apart from participating in the Final Judging, the Hong Kong delegation will showcase their innovative solutions to the Mainland technology industry at the competition's exhibition in Huangpu. They will also participate in roadshows and business matching events to further explore business opportunities and unlock the value of data elements. In addition, the delegation will visit several local leading I&T organisations to deepen their understanding of Shanghai's latest advancements in cutting-edge fields, including AI, embodied AI and new energy vehicles, thereby fostering deeper collaboration between Hong Kong and Shanghai in the development of the digital economy.
The Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 commenced in Hong Kong in April this year with the Final Judging set to take place in Shanghai this month. Themed "Co-creating a Data Industry Platform for the Two Cities", the competition aims to encourage participants from Hong Kong and Shanghai to integrate open data sets from both cities to develop more innovative applications and promote the synergistic development of a smart city and digital economy in both cities. Details of the competition are available on the thematic website (hkshadata.org/en).
DPO holds Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 Send-off Ceremony for Hong Kong delegation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
DPO holds Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 Send-off Ceremony for Hong Kong delegation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
