CS to visit Dongguan
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, will depart for Dongguan tomorrow afternoon (October 24) to attend the opening ceremony of the fourth Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) High-quality Talent Development Conference and the third GBA Doctoral and Postdoctoral Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, jointly organised by the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao on October 25, to further deepen talent exchanges and co-operation in the GBA. During his stay in Dongguan, Mr Chan will also visit a key local enterprise and an educational institution.
The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, and the Director of Hong Kong Talent Engage, Mr Felix Chan, will also join the visit.
Mr Chan and Mr Sun will return to Hong Kong on October 25. During Mr Chan's absence, the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, will be the Acting Chief Secretary for Administration. During Mr Sun's absence, the Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Ho Kai-ming, will be the Acting Secretary for Labour and Welfare.
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki. Photo source: reference image
Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for possession of duty-not-paid cigarettes
An incoming female passenger was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment with a fine of $500 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (October 23) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
Customs officers intercepted an incoming 36-year-old local female passenger at the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point on October 14 and seized 381 duty-not-paid cigarettes from her personal belongings, with an estimated market value of about $1,900, and a duty potential of about $1,260. The female passenger was subsequently arrested.
Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. Members of the public should not defy the law.
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).
An incoming local female passenger was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment with a fine of $500 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (October 23) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance. Photo shows the duty-not-paid cigarettes seized. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
