Hong Kong Customs detects drug trafficking case involving incoming passenger at airport
Hong Kong Customs detected a drug trafficking case involving an incoming air passenger at Hong Kong International Airport today (September 20), and seized a total of about 13 kilograms of suspected ketamine with an estimated market value of about $4.7 million. A man was arrested.
A 22-year-old Japanese male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Frankfurt, Germany today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 13kg of suspected ketamine inside his check-in suitcase. The man was subsequently arrested.
An investigation is ongoing.
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 detected a drug trafficking case involving an incoming air passenger at Hong Kong International Airport today (September 20), and seized a total of about 13 kilograms of suspected ketamine with an estimated market value of about $4.7 million. A man was arrested. Photo shows the suspected ketamine seized in the case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
No health without oral health
In support of National Love Teeth Day, the Department of Health (DH) today (September 20) called on the public to be aware of their oral health by establishing good oral hygiene and dietary habits, as well as undergoing regular dental check-ups to maintain oral health for life. The Government will fully implement the oral health policy objectives to enable all citizens to improve their oral hygiene habits and lifestyle. It will continue to adopt the strategies of developing community-wide preventive primary oral healthcare while providing essential dental care services targeting underprivileged groups in formulating dental services, to assist citizens in practising prevention, early identification, and timely intervention for dental diseases.
The National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China has designated September 20 of each year as National Love Teeth Day. The theme this year is "Healthy Mouth, Healthy Life: Protect teeth in youth to lay solid foundations; Keep healthy teeth in old age to enjoy well-being".With a focus on the oral health of children, adolescents and the elderly, it advocates the adoption of a life-course approach to oral health management and promotes the synergistic development of oral health and overall health. These principles align with the policy objectives of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Protecting your health starts with your teeth
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Teeth are the core structure of the oral cavity. They help us chew and speak and are closely linked to appearance, self-esteem, and quality of life.
Members of the public should brush their teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day, in the morning and at night. If cleaning between teeth is not thorough while brushing, bacteria can easily accumulate on tooth surfaces, forming dental plaque, which irritates the gums and causes redness, swelling and bleeding, which may eventually progress to periodontitis. If left untreated, the gums and dental alveolar bone may suffer severe damage, leading to receding dental alveolar bone and ultimately loose teeth. Additionally, frequent eating, especially of high-sugar foods and beverages, enables oral bacteria to rapidly break down sugars and produce acids which continuously erode the teeth and lead to tooth decay.
Establishing good oral hygiene and dietary habits from an early age promotes healthy tooth development. These habits also help prevent common oral diseases such as tooth decay and periodontal disease. They also help prevent obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Everyone should have their teeth checked annually, regardless of age or gender, to identify and treat oral diseases early. Missing teeth can lead to chewing difficulties, which can have a long-term impact on physical health. In short, without oral health, there can be no overall health. Members of the public should make it a habit to undergo regular oral examinations by dental professionals and seek early treatment when problems are still minor, so as to reduce the risks posed by dental diseases to one's overall health and to better preserve their teeth.
Developing community-wide preventive primary oral healthcare while providing essential dental care services targeting underprivileged groups
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Hong Kong has made significant efforts to promote oral health, such as drinking water fluoridation, establishing the School Dental Care Service, founding the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Hong Kong, and implementing various subsidised dental service programmes in recent years to cater for people of different age groups and underprivileged backgrounds. These public health initiatives have yielded remarkable results. Findings from the Oral Health Survey2021 showed a decline in the prevalence of dental caries among the public and an increase in the number of teeth retained by the elderly.
Through the strategy of "developing community-wide preventive primary oral healthcare", the Government promotes and develops preventive-focused oral health care widely among the public, assisting citizens in self-managing their oral health and practising prevention, early identification and timely intervention for dental diseases to preserve their teeth. Meanwhile, the strategy of "providing essential dental care services targeting underprivileged groups" focuses on providing appropriate oral health and dental care services to underprivileged groups with financial difficulties and special needs, ensuring that these communities can access essential dental care.
The DH has all along been actively implementing various oral health promotional initiatives and dental services to holistically address public needs, from infancy to elderly. These include the Brighter Smiles Baby Programme for children aged 0 to 3 at all Maternal and Child Health Centres under the DH; the Outreach Oral Health Programme for Pre-school Children, which provides oral examinations and preventive dental services to kindergarten children; the territory-wide School Dental Care Service for primary school students; and the Primary Dental Co-care Pilot Scheme for Adolescents, for adolescents aged 13 to 17. These interconnected initiatives provide continuous oral health support for children and adolescents from preschool to school-age stages.
For the elderly stage, the DH has launched the Outreach Dental Care Programme for the Elderly, through which non-governmental organisations deploy outreach dental teams to provide oral check-ups and dental care for older adults residing inResidential Care Homes for the Elderly or attending Day Care Centres or similar facilities across all 18 districts in Hong Kong, as well as oral care training for their caregivers. If an elderly person is deemed suitable for further dental treatment, the outreach dental team will provide free dental treatment either on-site or at a dental clinic. The outreach dental team will also design an oral care plan tailored to the elder's oral care needs and self-care ability.
To address the special oral care needs of persons of different age groups, the DH, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Children's Hospital under the Hospital Authority, provides Special Oral Care Service to children under the age of six with intellectual disability who are receiving training at Special Child Care Centres under the Social Welfare Department. Furthermore, students with intellectual and/or physical disabilities in special schools may enjoy School Dental Care Service until the age of 18. Upon reaching adulthood, individuals with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder can receive free oral check-ups, dental treatments and oral health education through the Healthy Teeth Collaboration programme. The DH also provides special care dental services to psychiatric inpatients of Kwai Chung Hospital and Castle Peak Hospital.
The Chief Executive's 2026 Policy Addressannounced the expansion of the Healthy Teeth Collaboration to offer outreach preventive oral healthcare services for residents of designated Residential Care Homes for Persons with Disabilities.
"Oral Health for Life" Festival
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In support of National Love Teeth Day, the DH is going to organise the "Oral Health for Life" Festival at Plaza Hollywood in Diamond Hill on October 11 (Sunday) from noon to 6pm. Through a health education exhibition, game booths, stage performances and a series of oral health promotion activities, the event aims to disseminate oral health information to the community. Admission is free. The public is welcome to join.
Members of the public can visit the DH's Oral Health Promotion Division websiteand the Facebook page and YouTube channelof "Love Teeth HK" for more information on oral health.
Source: AI-found images
