Incoming driver convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes
A 38-year-old incoming male driver was sentenced to three months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (March 25) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare to Customs Officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
Through risk assessment and intelligence analysis, Hong Kong Customs intercepted an inbound private car, declared to be unladen, at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port yesterday (March 24). Upon inspection, Customs Officers seized a total of about 18 200 sticks of duty-not-paid cigarettes, with an estimated market value of about $93,000 and a duty potential of about $60,000, from the hollow space of the vehicle's front doors, the front bumper and the centre console. The male driver was subsequently arrested, and the cross-boundary private car was also seized.
Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, tobacco products 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 $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
Customs will continue to combat cross-boundary smuggling activities with firm enforcement action based on risk assessment and intelligence analysis.
Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling 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).
Incoming driver convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Incoming driver convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hospital Authority Support Services Centre commences operation in phases
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (March 29) that the construction of the Hospital Authority Support Services Centre (HASSC) has been substantially completed and the operation has commenced in phases, providing laundry, patient catering, critical personal protective equipment and key linen storage, and data center services. The HASSC aims to enhance patient support services in public hospitals and strengthen their capability to handle emergencies.
The Director of Cluster Services of the HA, Dr Simon Tang, said, "To meet the growing demand for healthcare services, the HA not only carries out a series of hospital development and improvement projects, but also builds other service facilities to enhance patient supporting services. The HASSC will centrally co-ordinate patient supporting services of HA hospitals, such as patient catering and laundry service for patient linens, thereby releasing space for clinical or other services in public hospitals. The HASSC adopts automated systems and robotics technology to reduce operational and logistics costs, as well as improving operational efficiency."
The Cluster Chief Executive of Kowloon West Cluster of the HA, Dr Law Chun-bon, expressed his gratitude to the relevant HA departments for their united efforts in the preparatory work, which enabled the timely commissioning and operation of the HA's first supporting services centre. "The establishment of the HASSC shall enhance patient supporting services and facilities of the HA, becoming an indispensable part of public healthcare services and complementing clinical services," he said.
The HASSC covers an area of approximately 62 000 square meters and includes a central laundry centre, a central food production unit, a corporate data centre, and central emergency stores. The data centre and central emergency stores have been in operation since January this year, while the central laundry centre and central food production unit began phased operations in mid-March.
The HASSC will gradually increase its service capacity. By 2030, it is expected that the central laundry centre and central food production unit will be able to meet half of the laundry and catering needs of public hospitals. The corporate data centre will also support half of the total data centre requirement of the HA which will significantly enhance the information technology capacity of public hospitals. Additionally, the central emergency stores at the HASSC will store emergency personal protective equipment and supplies, ensuring flexibility in response to pandemics, disasters, or emergencies, thereby strengthening the HA's emergency response capabilities.
Hospital Authority Support Services Centre commences operation in phases Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hospital Authority Support Services Centre commences operation in phases Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hospital Authority Support Services Centre commences operation in phases Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hospital Authority Support Services Centre commences operation in phases Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hospital Authority Support Services Centre commences operation in phases Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
