Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cocaine worth about $3.5 million at airport
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (September 2) detected a passenger drug trafficking case at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 4 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $3.5 million. A woman was arrested.
The 48-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cocaine concealed in the interlinings of her carry-on suitcase. The woman was subsequently arrested.
The arrested person 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 (September 4).
With the increasing number of visitors to Hong Kong, 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 2545 6182 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 cocaine worth about $3.5 million at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
C&WDO receives report of loss of hirer data by facility management services contractor of Sai Ying Pun Community Complex
The Central and Western District Office (C&WDO) received a report of the loss of hirer data by a facility management services contractor today (September 16).
The C&WDO has engaged a facility management services contractor, Synergis Facility Management Limited (the Contractor), to assist in managing the Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall (the Community Hall) and handling the booking applications for use of the Community Hall and its facility from September 2022 to August 2025.
The Contractor reported to the C&WDO this morning that a staff member of the Contractor, who is responsible for handling the booking applications for use of the Community Hall and its facility, had lost a portable device (USB) during work on September 14. The device contains the name of organisation, date and time of the event, name and contact number of the contact person for 306 applicants. The data involved does not include any identity card number or other personal identifiers.
Upon receiving the report, the C&WDO promptly requested and accompanied the Contractor to report the incident to the Police and reported the matter to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data this afternoon. The C&WDO is contacting all the affected applicants to offer apologies and explain the incident. Meanwhile, a hotline (2852 3735) has been set up for persons affected to make enquiries. The C&WDO has also immediately suspended the Contractor from handling the booking applications for use of the Community Hall and its facility. The Home Affairs Department (HAD) has also informed the Property Management Services Authority to take appropriate follow-up action as the Contractor has failed to handle personal data properly as a licensed property management company.
The C&WDO sincerely apologises to the persons affected for any inconvenience caused and will follow up seriously to prevent reoccurrence of similar incidents . The C&WDO strongly condemns the Contractor concerned for the incident and has required the Contractor to submit a detailed report and take all necessary measures to prevent further leakage of the data involved. The HAD will not allow the Contractor to bid any other projects of the HAD until it has taken satisfactory measures.
Source: AI-generated images
