Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Customs detects drug trafficking case involving incoming passenger at airport
A 31-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cannabis buds concealed inside vacuum-sealed bags, and the duty-not-paid cigarettes in his carry-on suitcase. The man was subsequently arrested.
After an investigation, the arrested man has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug, one count of possession of dutiable goods and one count of failing to declare to a member of the Customs and Excise Service the possession of dutiable goods. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (April 17).
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 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.
Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, any person who imports, possesses, sells or buys dutiable commodities without a valid licence commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
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.hkIssued at HKT 18:35
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HYAB JC Y Cube officially opens
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
HYAB JC Y Cube officially opens
The thematic opening event, echoing “Good Stories of Hong Kong Youth”, was officiated by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak; the Deputy Director-General of the Youth Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Ms Wan Ning; the Permanent Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Mr Patrick Li; Steward of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Mr Philip Lo; the Chairman of New World Facilities Management Company Limited, Dr Elvis Luk
In her speech, Miss Mak said that the Y Cube is one of the initiatives announced in the Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address to strengthen support for unleashing the potential of young people. The initiative is supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, which has contributed $150 million in funding to convert part of Youth Square into a new interactive space for young people to gather for exchanges, develop their personal potential, and participate in various activities.
Miss Mak said that suggestions from the young people were extensively incorporated during the design process of the project, fully embodying the “youth-oriented” philosophy. She also encouraged young people to make good use of the professional video production training under the Good Stories of Hong Kong Youth Programme to promote good stories of Hong Kong youth.
During the event, youth representatives from various sectors shared several good stories of Hong Kong youth. Accompanied by representative of the operator and Chairman of the Y.Elites Association, Mr Jason Wong, the guests also toured the facilities of the Y Cube.
The Y Cube offers a wide range of facilities for youth, including a cosy area, a makerspace, a cooking studio, a reading corner, and a video studio. These facilities allow young people to explore their interests and career paths, enhance their comprehensive abilities, and broaden their horizons. The second phase of the renovation project will take place on the first-floor platform of Youth Square and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Issued at HKT 18:55
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Invest Hong Kong hosts advanced therapy products forum to champion biomedical innovation
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) today (April 17) hosted the “Advanced Therapy Products Opportunities in Hong Kong and Beyond” forum, gathering over 170 leading scientists, industry leaders, and regulatory authorities from around the world. The event served as a definitive platform to showcase Hong Kong’s ascending status as a world-class hub for biomedical commercialisation, specifically within the revolutionary fields of cell and gene therapy (CGT).
Delivering her welcome remarks, the Director-General of Investment Promotion of InvestHK, Ms Alpha Lau, said, “The Government is pressing ahead with the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation and the implementation of ‘primary evaluation’ for new drug registration – a move that will shorten time-to-market for innovative drugs and devices. InvestHK, as the investment promotion agency of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, stands ready to provide bespoke, end-to-end support for global pioneers looking to scale their operations across Asia from this strategic base.”
FEHD cracks down on illegal slaughtering activities in Yuen Long District
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has long been committed to combating the illegal slaughtering of food animals and the sale of prohibited food. The FEHD conducted a blitz operation with the Police yesterday (April 16) and successfully cracked down on illegal goat slaughtering activities and the sale of prohibited food in a goat farm in Kam Tin, Yuen Long District. A man was arrested.
During the operation, FEHD officers seized and immediately destroyed approximately 7.4 kilograms of suspected illegally slaughtered goat meat and offal at the location. Meanwhile, a set of slaughtering tools was seized.
A 67-year-old Chinese man was arrested on suspicion of operating an unlicensed slaughterhouse, illegally slaughtering food animals and selling prohibited food. The man has been charged with the relevant offences.
A spokesman for the FEHD said, “Under the Slaughterhouses Regulation (Cap. 132BU), any person operating an unlicensed slaughterhouse, illegally slaughtering food animals or selling prohibited food commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months’ imprisonment. The FEHD will actively handle complaints received and proactively investigate suspected violations from time to time. If any abnormal circumstances are found, the FEHD will immediately conduct investigations and take surprise inspections and enforcement actions. If there is sufficient evidence, prosecution will be instituted.”
The spokesman emphasised the FEHD’s deep concern and strong commitment to combating the illegal slaughtering of food animals and the sale of prohibited food through stringent enforcement actions against violations.
The spokesman reminded the public that uninspected meat may carry risks such as viruses and parasites, posing a serious threat to health. Members of the public are urged not to purchase meat of unknown origin. Anyone who discovers suspected illegal slaughtering activities or has doubts about the origin of meat being sold by retailers can report it by calling 1823.
HKETO Kuala Lumpur promotes cultural and creative industry exchanges in Malaysia
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
HKETO Kuala Lumpur promotes cultural and creative industry exchanges in Malaysia
Organised by the Guangdong-HK-Macao Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance and co-organised by the HKETO Kuala Lumpur, the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia, and the Sunwah Media Group, the event received full support from the Guangdong Economic and Trade Office in Southeast Asia (Kuala Lumpur) and the Malaysia-China Business Council. Coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the initiative aims to deepen collaboration between the cultural and creative industries of Hong Kong and Malaysia and to promote the integrated development of Chinese and ASEAN cultures.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, the Director of the HKETO Kuala Lumpur, Mr Owin Fung, said that the global cultural and creative industries generate annual revenues of almost US$ 2.3 trillion, which not only contributes to economic growth, but also showcases and bridges cultures and strengthen people-to-people ties.
Mr Fung also introduced the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government’s measures to support Hong Kong’s cultural and creative industries. These include encouraging the industries to participate in overseas cultural exchanges and promotion, as well as fostering intellectual property co-operation with different regions to stimulate innovation and creativity, thereby consolidating Hong Kong’s position as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.
Other officiating guests included Deputy Director General of Tourism Malaysia Mr Samuel Lee; the Minister Counsellor (Commercial Affairs) of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Malaysia, Mr Sun Shuqiang; and member of the Standing Committee, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Chairman of the Guangdong-HK-Macao Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance, and Chairman of the Sunwah Group, Dr Jonathan Choi.
At the launch ceremony, the Guangdong-HK-Macao Bay Area Entrepreneurs Alliance also signed Memoranda of Understanding with technology enterprises, film and television production companies, and trade associations from Southeast Asian countries to jointly promote the synergistic development of the regional cultural and entertainment industries, and to explore various co-operation models such as joint productions, copyright exchanges, and talent development.
The three-day event is being held from April 17 to 19 at Sunway Velocity Mall in Kuala Lumpur, bringing together outstanding local Hong Kong productions and premium short dramas from the Chinese Mainland to showcase the cultural charm of Chinese Mainland and the HKSAR to Malaysia and other ASEAN countries.
Issued at HKT 16:30
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32 persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed “Twilight”, “Puncture”, “Silver Wing”, a joint operation with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department codenamed “Flabbergast”, joint operations with the Hong Kong Police Force and the Labour Department codenamed “Powerplayer” and joint operations with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed “Champion” and “Windsand” from April 10 to yesterday (April 16).
During the anti-illegal worker operations, investigators raided multiple target locations including warehouses, retail stores and commercial buildings, etc. Twenty-one suspected illegal workers and 11 suspected employers were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised nine men and 12 women, aged 32 to 63. Among them, two women were suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card. Seven men and four women, aged 30 to 58, were suspected of employing the illegal workers and were also arrested. An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.
An ImmD spokesman said, “Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Moreover, after entry into the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, an imported worker admitted on an employment condition must remain under the direct employment of the same employer for the specified job and in the specific workplace(s) as stipulated in the Standard Employment Contract, and cannot be employed by other companies or subcontractors. Change of the employer, post or place of work (unless stipulated in the Standard Employment Contract) is not permitted. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties. Under the prevailing laws, it is an offence to use or possess a forged identity card or an identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years’ imprisonment.”
The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years’ imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years’ imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee’s identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker’s valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.
For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 185 185, fax at 2824 1166, email anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit the “Online Reporting of Immigration Offences” form at www.immd.gov.hk.
DH’s organised and subvented Chinese medicine acupuncture for smoking cessation techniques wins national award and training workshop makes relevant techniques accessible to more people
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
DH’s organised and subvented Chinese medicine acupuncture for smoking cessation techniques wins national award and training workshop makes relevant techniques accessible to more people
The CM smoking cessation service, organised and subvented by the DH and operated by Pok Oi Hospital, participated in a research project titled Research and Application of Acupuncture Intervention Techniques for Tobacco Dependence. This project recently won the second prize in the 2025 Science and Technology Award of the China Association of Chinese Medicine on the Chinese Mainland. The award not only recognises the efforts of Pok Oi Hospital and relevant medical institutions in researching, promoting and applying acupuncture techniques to address tobacco dependence, but also validates the efficacy of Hong Kong’s CM smoking cessation techniques.
Since being designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Smoking Cessation and Treatment of Tobacco Dependence in 2012, the DH has served as a regional hub for supporting training in smoking cessation treatment and services. It regularly provides such training to tobacco control professionals in Hong Kong, on the Chinese Mainland and across the Western Pacific region.
The workshop today attracted about 80 CM practitioners from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and Macao. The training workshop covers smoking cessation counselling, the mechanism and treatment plans of CM smoking cessation (including acupuncture and ear-point treatment). It is designed to help CM practitioners enhance their knowledge and skills in delivering cessation treatments. Studies show that combining acupuncture with ear-point treatment and professional counselling can effectively alleviate withdrawal symptoms and relieve discomforts during the initial stages of smoking cessation, thereby achieving significant therapeutic effects and increasing the success rate.
Since last year, the number of CM smoking cessation service providers subvented by the DH has increased from one to four, namely Pok Oi Hospital, the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, the United Christian Nethersole Community Health Service and the School of Chinese Medicine of the University of Hong Kong. The smoking cessation clinics primarily offer counselling and acupuncture, and the number of service users has doubled. Currently, there are over 200 service points across Hong Kong (including CM mobile clinics and fixed clinics) offering CM smoking cessation services, providing convenient access for those seeking to quit smoking.
Apart from organising CM smoking cessation training workshops, the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the DH also organises the Annual Training Programme on Tobacco Control for tobacco control workers in the Western Pacific region, and conducts smoking cessation treatment training courses for healthcare professionals from the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. These training workshops have attracted a cumulative total of over 1 000 participants to date.
Furthermore, the DH has prepared a variety of resources for healthcare professionals, including patient pamphlets, referral forms to cessation clinics, “Very Brief Advice” and “Brief Intervention on Smoking Cessation” delivery toolkits, online training courses, and a Practical Handbook for Smoking Cessation Treatments. These resources are designed to support healthcare professionals in helping smokers quit through various channels. Relevant information has been uploaded to TACO’s website
Members of the public can call 1833 183 or visit the smoking cessation thematic websiteIssued at HKT 15:30
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Appeal for information on missing girl in Tai Po
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Appeal for information on missing girl in Tai Po
She is about 1.68 metres tall and of thin build. She has a round face with yellow complexion, long blonde hair and a tattoo on her right forearm. She was last seen wearing a khaki jacket, black pants and pink slippers.Issued at HKT 14:35
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SLW’s opening remarks on welfare, poverty alleviation and children policy areas tabled at LegCo Finance Committee special meeting
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is the English translation of the opening remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, on welfare, poverty alleviation and children policy areas tabled at the special meeting of the Legislative Council Finance Committee today (April 17):
Chairman and Honourable Members,
In 2026-27, government recurrent spending on social welfare is estimated to be $135.9 billion, accounting for 22.7 per cent of the total recurrent government expenditure for the year, making it first among all policy area groups. Compared with the revised estimate for 2025-26 of $123.6 billion, there is an increase of about $12.3 billion in recurrent spending on social welfare. The increase is about 9.9 per cent. Now, let me highlight how the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) will make use of these resources.
Elderly services
On elderly services, the recurrent government expenditure this year is estimated to reach about $17.5 billion, representing an increase of about 27 per cent over about $13.8 billion five years ago (i.e. 2021-22).
Starting from 2026-27, we will increase the number of Community Care Service Vouchers for the Elderly by 4 000 to a total of 16 000 and the number of Residential Care Service Vouchers for the Elderly by 1 000 to a total of 7 000. The two voucher schemes involve an annual expenditure of about $1.2 billion and $1.97 billion respectively.
Cash assistance
This year’s Budget proposes to provide a one-off extra one-month allowance to eligible recipients of social security payments, which will incur an expenditure of about $6,290 million. Similar arrangements will apply to Working Family Allowance households, incurring an expenditure of about $196 million.
To further facilitate cross-border retirement for elderly persons, the 2025 Policy Address announced improvements to disbursement arrangements for portable cash assistance so that Hong Kong elderly beneficiaries retiring in Guangdong and Fujian Provinces may opt to receive government cash assistance directly through their accounts with designated Mainland banks. The new service is expected to be launched in the middle of this year.
Support for persons with disabilities
On support for persons with disabilities, this year’s Budget announced two major measures to enhance rehabilitation services, namely to provide about 450 additional spaces for day, residential and pre-school services in financial year 2026-27; and for children with special needs receiving On-site Pre-school Rehabilitation Services, to provide bridging and support services during their first term in primary school starting from the 2026/27 school year. These two measures will in total involve an additional annual expenditure of about $367 million.
Assist working families in childbearing
To assist working families, 15 new aided standalone child care centres will be set up over the next three years starting from 2026-27, almost doubling the existing number of service places.
Child protection
The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance came into effect on January 20 this year. The Government will continue to ensure the smooth operation of the Ordinance, including continuously monitoring the operation of the mandatory reporting mechanism, ensuring the adequacy of relevant supportive measures such as emergency placement and professional support, and continuing to provide training for specified professionals.
To strengthen the prevention of child abuse at source, the Government will allocate an additional provision of $96.9 million from 2025-26 to 2029-30 for setting up four Community Parents and Children Centres on a pilot basis, promoting parent-child interaction through play-based services and instilling positive parenting skills in parents. Three of the Centres commenced operation earlier this month, while the fourth is set to begin service shortly.
Implementation of Productivity Enhancement Programme
The Financial Secretary announced in this year’s Budget that the Government will take forward the Productivity Enhancement Programme (PEP) as planned. To support non-governmental organisations operating subvented welfare services (NGOs) in implementing the PEP, the LWB and the Social Welfare Department (SWD) have reallocated internal resources and adjusted priorities to help alleviate some of the financial burden on NGOs. In addition, since March 2025, the SWD has relaxed the utilisation of various reserves, streamlined cost apportionment procedures, refined the Funding and Service Agreements signed with NGOs, and more, Since April this year, we have also rolled out a series of new support measures, including extending the coverage of streamlined cost apportionment procedures to the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the Community Chest and three additional government-funded projects, refining and streamlining the Service Quality Standards, and enabling a more flexible use of the Block Grant provided under the Lotteries Fund, with a view to enhancing NGOs’ financial flexibility and streamlining administrative work, assisting them to implement the PEP while focusing their resources and efforts on delivering services, thereby maximising the effectiveness of the use of public money.
Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities ($2 Scheme)
The Government announced in last year’s Budget changes to the $2 Scheme, introducing “$2 flat rate or 80 per cent discount”, which has successfully taken effect on April 3 this year, and the overall operation has been smooth. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all Legislative Council Members, District Council members, Care Team members, the local community, and social welfare organisations, among others, for their assistance in the promotion. It is estimated that the implementation of this enhancement measure will save approximately $550 million in public expenditure for 2026-27, including the savings resulting from the reduction of “taking long-haul routes for short journeys” by beneficiaries. The relevant resources can be utilised to address other needs in society, including the aforementioned elderly services and support services for persons with disabilities.
Chairman, this concludes my opening remarks. Members are welcome to raise questions.
Clearance and rehousing arrangements for redevelopment of Wah Fu Estate Phase 1b advancing as planned, supporting residents’ smooth transition to new community
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Clearance and rehousing arrangements for redevelopment of Wah Fu Estate Phase 1b advancing as planned, supporting residents’ smooth transition to new community
Ample 59-month notification for relocation
The HA’s Strategic Planning Committee, Commercial Properties Committee and Subsidised Housing Committee (SHC) approved the relevant clearance and rehousing arrangements today. From today until the target clearance date in March 2031, affected tenants of these three buildings will have a notification period of as long as about 59 months to make detailed planning and preparations for a smooth relocation.
Preserving community ties through rehousing in reception estates
Neighbouring public housing development projects on Wah Lok Path and in Wah Fu North will serve as reception estates with anticipated intake in 2028 and 2030 respectively, providing a total of 2 243 units, more than enough for the approximately 1 980 affected households currently living in Wah Cheong House, Wah Tai House and Wah Kin House. This arrangement preserves community ties and a sense of belonging while helping residents adapt more quickly to their new environment. Affected tenants may also opt to move to surplus units at the reception estate for the redevelopment of WFE Phase 1a on Wah King Street or to the recovered public rental housing (PRH) units in any districts, subject to availability.
Professional care for elderly residents
Honouring heritage and local character
WFE has a unique and deep-rooted local cultural heritage. Since 2018, the HA has been engaging residents and stakeholders through in-depth dialogue. By listening to residents share their life stories and memories about WFE spanning over the last half-century, the HA will explore incorporating the distinctive features of WFE into the redevelopment plan and design at an elevated level so as to preserve the unique identity and sense of place of WFE as the community evolves.
Domestic Removal Allowance and priority flat selection
All domestic tenants affected by the clearance will be offered a Domestic Removal Allowance ranging from $10,350 to $33,050, depending on the household size, to help meet part of their moving expenses. Eligible one-person and two-person households may also opt for cash in lieu of rehousing to a PRH unit under the Alternative Rehousing Allowance, with the rates endorsed by the SHC today standing at $79,440 and $98,400 for one-person households and two-person households respectively.
Refurbished vacant units for PRH applicants
The HA will announce the latest updates and developments in due course based on the progress of other phases of the WFE redevelopment.
Issued at HKT 16:10
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