Hong Kong Customs detects two drug trafficking cases involving incoming passengers at airport
Hong Kong Customs today (November 6) detected two drug trafficking cases involving incoming air passengers at Hong Kong International Airport, and seized a total of about 7 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds, with a total estimated market value of about $1.4 million. Two women were arrested.
The two cases involved two Mainland female passengers, aged 50 and 54. They arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found approximately 3.5kg of suspected cannabis buds from each of their carry-on baggage. The two women were subsequently arrested.
Investigations of the cases are 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 detects two drug trafficking cases involving incoming passengers at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects two drug trafficking cases involving incoming passengers at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Joint task force to combat bid-rigging in building maintenance and renovation projects successfully dismantles bid-rigging syndicate in first joint operation
Led by the Security Bureau and joined by the Hong Kong Police Force, the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Competition Commission, the joint task force to combat bid-rigging in building maintenance and renovation projects conducted a joint operation codenamed "Operation UNITEDEDGE" in the past two days (November 5 and 6), successfully neutralising a bid-rigging syndicate and arresting a total of 66 persons.
The investigation revealed that a bid-rigging syndicate with links to triad groups had attempted to "catch the last train" before the relevant reforms were implemented. They sought to exploit fluctuations in material prices and the urgent need to commence works as pretexts to induce property owners to sign contracts before the Government introduced the "pre-qualified lists" mechanism, thereby selecting building works consultants and contractors controlled by the syndicate.
The joint operation codenamed "Operation UNITEDEDGE" conducted by the task force successfully neutralising the bid-rigging syndicate and arresting a total of 66 persons (54 men and 12 women, aged between 29 and 79, including seven board members and six staff members from six contractor companies; 10 board members and two staff members from 10 consultancy firms; a board member and a staff member from a property management company; as well as a member from an owners' corporation (OC). Some of them have a triad background. The arrested persons were suspected of contravening relevant offences under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, the Theft Ordinance, the Crimes Ordinance, the Gambling Ordinance and the Competition Ordinance. Pursuant to a court warrant, the Competition Commission also searched the premises of the persons involved and exercised the coercive powers conferred by the Competition Ordinance to require the production of information and attendance at hearings.
In the operation, the task force searched a total of 78 premises, including the offices of various contractors and consultancy firms, as well as the residences of those involved in the case, and seized documents and accounting records of the relevant building maintenance and renovation projects. To combat triad activities at the same time, the operation also raided seven illegal premises across various districts in Hong Kong that were controlled by the relevant individuals with a triad background, including five illegal gambling establishments and two vice establishments, and arrested 38 persons (30 men and eight women) for offences including operating a gambling establishment, gambling in a gambling establishment and keeping a vice establishment.
Investigations revealed that the syndicate secured tenders through bid-rigging means of controlling the consultancy firms and contractors, manipulating the decision-making of the OCs through bribing the OC members and circumventing regulations by using nominal registered inspectors and works consultants. The case involved a total of 12 residential buildings and industrial buildings in Hong Kong, with the sum of the works projects exceeding $100 million.
Based on the information currently available, the bid-rigging syndicate consisted primarily of six contractors and 10 consultancy firms, and was suspected of holding and operating the relevant companies through various individuals to conceal the connection between them, thereby gaining control over building maintenance and renovation projects.
The bid-rigging syndicate would purchase flats in the target building in the company's name prior to the issuance of a notice of mandatory building inspection, and would arrange for non-resident syndicate members to serve as members of the OC. Furthermore, the syndicate would arrange for members to hold key positions, such as treasurer and secretary, in a non-owner capacity with a view to manipulating future tenders. Some of these individuals even hold positions in multiple buildings simultaneously, in effect making them "full-time members of the OC". Once a building received an inspection order, the syndicate would manipulate building professionals lacking integrity and ethical standards through bribery or triad ploys, reducing them to mere "rubber stamps" who blindly sign statutory documents. Some of the professionals who were implicated were handling up to 80 projects simultaneously, rendering it fundamentally impossible for them to maintain the required professional standards and carry out due diligence. Besides, the syndicate would even arrange its members to impersonate deceased professionals to sign the relevant project documents.
During the tendering stage, the syndicate, through its colluding consultancy firms, would submit bids at extremely low prices while simultaneously arranging multiple companies to submit "phantom bids" or "dummy bids" to create the illusion of competition. It would then fend off competitors with illegal tactics such as intimidation, harassment, deception and bribery. Once the syndicate's consultancy firm secured the bid, the firm would collude with infiltrated members of the OC to manipulate the selection of contractors. Through deliberately concealing project details and underestimating building defects, they would only add a large number of additional works items after the contracts had been awarded, forcing property owners lacking specialist knowledge to bear the burden of a significantly increased total project cost. In the end, the syndicate would conceal and launder the proceeds of crime through such means as false consultancy agreement, fictitious sub-contracting, and accounting fraud in an attempt to evade investigation by law enforcement agencies and to divert funds towards other illegal activities operated by the triad faction.
Most of the arrested persons remained in custody for investigation and the task force will continue with the relevant investigations. In addition, as the consultancy firms involved are also providing consultancy services on building maintenance and renovation projects for several other buildings and the relevant works contracts haveyet to be awarded, the task force will proactively approach the relevant OCs in due course to remind them of the risks they need to be aware of when following up on these works. The task force will also share the relevant information with other government departments to support the launch of the "pre-qualified lists" and will continue to combat bid-rigging syndicates comprehensively through three areas, namely intelligence sharing, joint operations and prevention.
To facilitate the reporting of suspected bid-rigging activities in building maintenance and renovation projects by members of the public, the task force has set up a 24-hour hotline 182 000 for combatting bid-rigging in building maintenance and renovation projects, as well as a reward mechanism. Members of the public may use the hotline to provide information or intelligence regarding suspected bid-rigging activities. The personal data obtained will be kept strictly confidential.
The Government gives a stern warning that no one should flout the law by engaging in bid-rigging. Offenders will be arrested and prosecuted, and upon conviction, punished in accordance with the law.
Source: AI-found images
