Since this Wednesday (3rd), the Marine Police and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department have carried out operations against smuggling and unsafe frozen meat in multiple districts throughout Hong Kong. They smashed 4 barges and 1 freighter and seized 20 containers with contents. There are about 450 tons of suspected unsafe frozen meat. Some of the vessels even lack refrigeration facilities, causing food safety hazards. It is not ruled out that the entire batch of frozen meat will be destroyed.
The police also seized two unlicensed high-horsepower speedboats in the waters of Tai O.
During the operation, the marine police arrested two gangsters.
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According to Guan Jinting, Superintendent of the Criminal Division of the Marine Police Command, most lawbreakers move from medium-sized and large-scale barges to the high-horsepower speedboat.
During the operation, marine police officers found 4 barges and 1 freighter from the Eastern District unloading area, the airport's three-run restricted area, and the Yau Ma Tei cargo unloading area. They found 20 containers carrying unsafe frozen meat with a cargo volume of 450 tons. It is worth 130 million.
The police arrested two local men (aged between 52 and 60 years old) with triad background as the person in charge of the barge and the crew on board for the crimes of "smuggling" and "endangering the safety of others at sea".
Guan Jinting also said that the main types of seized goods were beef, pork and offal. If the consignment of meat is smuggled to the mainland, it will generate several times the profit.
Moreover, there was no chilling facility on the seized cargo ship. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department is now inspecting the batch of frozen meat. If there is any food safety problem, it will be handled in accordance with the procedures and there is a chance to destroy the entire batch of frozen meat.
In addition, the police seized two unlicensed high-horsepower speedboats off the waters of Tai O, Lantau Island.
The police pointed out that the smuggling of boiled meat also resulted in other crimes, such as triad income. All the arrested persons are currently being detained, and it is not ruled out that more people will be arrested later.
In recent years, there has been an upward trend in smuggling cases by sea.
Chief Inspector of Marine Police (Criminal) Pan Yijing pointed out that in 2019, the police cracked 19 cases, arrested 27 people, and seized smuggled goods worth 66 million Hong Kong dollars.
In 2020, 41 cases were cracked, 66 people were arrested, and the value of the goods rose to 369 million Hong Kong dollars.
As for the first 10 months of this year, the Marine Police cracked 48 seaborne smuggling cases and arrested 54 people. The value of smuggled goods rose to 345 million Hong Kong dollars, of which 21 cases were smuggling cases.
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