Be careful when using anti-dandruff shampoo: Consumer Council

 

The onset of cold weather has increased the number of people complaining of flaky and itchy skin, and dandruff.

Before buying anti-dandruff shampoo, however, people could consider the advice of the Consumer Council: “Consumers should first look into the root cause (of dandruff) before selecting suitable products to address their problem.”

In a study, the council tested 25 brands of shampoo containing four anti-dandruff active ingredients -- zinc pyrithione (ZPT), piroctone olamine, climbazole, and salicylic acid – with prices ranging from $50 to $430 per bottle. The test did not grade them for their dandruff removal performance.

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The council found that three of these brands did not contain the four anti-dandruff ingredients, of which two claimed to use herbal ingredients against dandruff.

Of these 25 brands, four were found to contain ZPT at above the limits set by the European Union’s (EU) Cosmetics Regulation, although they meet the requirements of the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) for use as an active ingredient in Over-the-Counter (OTC) drug products, and complied with the requirements of the Mainland’s Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics.

Aside from its anti-dandruff quaity, ZPT is also antibacterial. “However, animal studies have shown ZPT may damage the unborn child, while studies have also shown that it could cause allergic contact dermatitis, as well as irritation if it gets into the eyes,” it said.

The Consumer Council said 10 brands contained salicylic acid, one of which had a concentration as high as 1.9%, which may be categorized as an OTC drug if sold in the US.

“… the majority of the models with salicylic acid as a labelled ingredient did not carry the warning label ‘not to be used for children under 3 years of age’ in accordance with EU requirement,” the council said.

The test also found fragrance allergens in over 90% of the brands, of which two were even detected with the butylphenyl methylpropional (BMHCA), which is banned in EU due to its reproductive toxicity.

Eight of the brands were found to contain galaxolide (HHCB), which is not only allergenic, but also highly toxic to aquatic life and not readily biodegradable, posing a threat to the marine ecosystem, it said.

The Council said consumers should take care of their scalp regularly to avoid dandruff problems by doing the following:

- Select products based on the scalp and hair type, and consider switching shampoos according to changes in the weather, such as using products with better oil control during summer, and opting for more moisturizing products in winter;

- Avoid using excessively hot water for washing hair, and refrain from scratching the scalp with fingernails as it may cause wounds and infection. Rinse hair thoroughly after using hair products;

- Minimize use of hairstyling products and hair dyes, as the irritating ingredients may increase dandruff formation; also reduce the use of products containing alcohol or greasy haircare products.

- Carefully review product labels before purchasing, and avoid products with highly allergenic ingredients such as fragrance allergens, methylisothiazolinone (MIT) and methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMIT), especially for individuals with eczema or skin allergy;

- Use according to the instructions, including the usage frequency and amount, and the duration of leaving the product on the scalp;

- If symptoms do not subside after using anti-dandruff shampoo for a period of time, or if redness or swelling of the scalp occurs, the user should seek medical advice.

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Bus fares to go up on Jan 25

 

The new fares will take effect on Jan 25

The Hong Kong government today approved bus fare increases of between 4.5 per cent and 7.5 per cent, effective Jan. 25, resulting in 80 per cent of passengers expected to pay no more than $0.5 extra per trip and about 95 per cent expected to pay no more than $1 extra per trip.

The fare increases approved by the Chief Executive in Council (CE in C) were mostly lower than the increases requested by franchised bus operators:

(a) The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) got an overall 4.3 per cent weighted average rate of increase after a 0.9 percentage points (ppts) mitigation effect by its Franchised Bus Toll Exemption Fund (TEF) (i.e. 5.2 per cent before mitigation); it applied for 6.5 per cent.

(b) Citybus Limited (Franchise for the Urban and New Territories bus network) (CTB(U&NT)) got an overall weighted average increase of 7.5 per cent; it aplied for 9.5 per cet.

(c) New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited (NLB) got an overall weighted average increase of 6.5 per cent; it applierd for 6.5 per cent.

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A government spokesman said the Government has duly exercised its gatekeeping role by carefully and rigorously scrutinizing the fare increase applications from franchised bus operators.

“The decision of the CE in C endeavored to minimise impacts on livelihood on one hand, and on the other also take into account the financial sustainability of franchised bus operators, with a view to enabling the franchised bus operators to continue to provide reliable and safe services to citizens,” the spokesman said.

“During the approval process, the government has examined the operating situation of the franchised bus industry, forecast financial performance, indices relevant to public affordability, as well as quality and quantity of their bus services,” the spokesman said.

The Government has also exempted franchised bus operators from paying tolls when using government tolled tunnels and control areas since February 2019. The Tunnel Exemption Funds set up with the tolls saved has continued to perform its function, and effectively reduced the rate of fare increase of KMB this time.

The spokesman said, "Although patronage and revenue of franchised buses have bounced back noticeably after the epidemic, they are unable to fully recover to the pre-epidemic level due to reasons such as changes in travelling and consumption patterns.

“Further, franchised bus operators need to maintain reasonable remuneration packages to attract a high-quality workforce, as well as make investments in transition to a new energy bus fleet. The Government has been assisting franchised bus operators in making substantial efforts to improve operational sustainability over the past few years, including broadening sources of non-farebox revenue, and enhancing operational efficiency through rationalisation of bus routes having regard to latest patterns of passenger demand. After careful consideration of the overall situation, the Government is satisfied that suitable adjustments to fares are necessary to help the franchised bus operators to maintain reasonable financial capability to continue to operate and invest."

The spokesman continued, "There had been few increases in franchised bus fares for a period in the past. Over the longer horizon, the cumulative rates of fare increases are still noticeably lower than changes in the Composite Consumer Price Index (CCPI) and other indices within the corresponding period. Taking the figures since mid-2008 as an example, after including the fare increases approved this time, the cumulative fare increases of the three franchises over the some 16 years averaged 1.6 per cent to 2.2 per cent on a yearly basis, while the cumulative change in the CCPI averaged 3 per cent on a yearly basis and the cumulative change in Median Monthly Household Income averaged 4.2 per cent on a yearly basis."

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Court throws out Filipina’s theft case, says employer should be the one charged

 

Rechel Paner (2nd left) poses in front of the Fanling Court with the Consulate’s representative Danny Baldon, duty lawyer’s interpreter Lorna Gelizon and the court intepreter, Christine Santos

The Fanling Court today dismissed theft charges against a Filipina domestic helper and turned the tables on her accuser, her former employer, suggesting authorities charge her with perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to defraud the Immigration Department.

Magistrate Kenneth Chan also criticized the police for giving him an “ugly impression that it sided with the rich and did not respect the rights of the downtrodden” after officers ignored an earlier complaint of Rechel Paner, 39 years old, who called the emergency number 999 that she was assaulted by her employer, and instead arrested her for theft.

Paner was accused by her employer Lo Wai-yin of stealing her diamond ring, a gold nugget and a jewelry box in her three-story house on Melrose Ave. in Lok Ma Chau.

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After she was charged, Paner was detained for five months because her two bail applications were rejected twice, until Magistrate Chan took over the case, started the trial and allowed her to post bail of $1,000.

In his verdict, Magistrate Chan branded as fabricated the allegation that Paner stole the jewelry and put them in a laundry bag that contained her belongings on March 15, 2024.

During the four-day trial, it was established she was not the only one who had access to the laundry bag; there was another domestic helper, aside from the employer’s family.

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He also noted that the CCTV cameras were turned off in the whole house on that day, which the employer explained was because Paner did not want to be filmed while changing clothes. But the maids’ room, where she changed clothes, has no CCTV camera, he noted.

Prosecution, he concluded, failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Paner stole the items. “I do not believe they were stolen,” he declared.

During the trial, another domestic helper appeared as prosecution witness.

It turned out that she was not supposed to be working for Lo, because immigration records show that her employment visa was based on a work contract signed with a certain Elaine Yiu, and was not registered with the Philippine Consulate.

The Filipina admitted she was working for Lo without proper documents, which put both of them at risk of being charged with conspiracy to defraud the Immigration Director.

“I urge Police and Immigration authorities to join forces to investigate this,” Chan said.

After her acquittal, Paner approached her duty lawyer, Yasmine Zahir, to thank her.

She also thanked the Consulate’s representative Danny Baldon and the duty lawyer’s interpreter Lorna Gelizon, who each chipped in $500 for her bail, which she repaid once she got out of jail, as well as the court intepreter, Christine Santos.

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Romance scams lead to losses of over $10M in just one week

Fake shipping labels used in a romance-mail scam

Criminals in Hong Kong have been turning to online fraud as the fastest way to make money, and romance scams are still very much the way women are robbed of their life savings.

In the past week alone, the police said they received 21 reports of online romance scams, with  total losses of more than $10 million. Among the victims was a 48-year-old non-local woman who lost about $4.8 million to an online beau who posed as a cryptocurrency investor.

As often happens  in these cases, a third party is brought into the picture, usually a bank account holder who is enticed to lend, sell, or turn over his or her ATM to the online lover, who then uses it to launder the proceeds from the scam.

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What happens next is that the culprit or culprits disappear without a trace, leaving the account holder, in many cases a foreign domestic helper or any such vulnerable resident, alone to face the prospect of being jailed for money laundering.

According to the police, the victim in this recent case initially received a random message on WhatsApp, which led to her agreeing to have a romantic relationship with the online fraudster. The scammer then started asking the woman to keep putting money in a fake investment scheme.

As what happens in such cases, the fraudster or fraudsters (as there could be several people taking turns wooing and beguiling the victim) disappear when they can no longer squeeze money from the victim.

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Authorities warn this is not the first time that a romance scam turned into an investment fraud, so people, particularly women, should be wary of unknown people who often pose as professionals, befriending them on social media

These scammers often engage in flattery and confess to some vulnerability to establish a romantic relationship, before engaging in various ploys to extract money from the unsuspecting victim.

A usual excuse is the urgent need for cash because of an emergency, or to pay for customs duties for a valuable gift that the fraudster supposedly sent to the victim. Nowadays, one of the tricks used is  to entice the victim to progressively put in money on a supposed high-yielding investment scheme.

To avoid falling prey to such scams, people are told to verify the identities of unknown individuals who contact them on social media by checking their friends’ lists for any mutual friends, and initiating video calls to at least have an idea of how the other person looks.

Additionally, if asked for large sums for supposed medical expenses, cash flow issues, or customs fees for valuable gifts from abroad, the target victims should immediately stop communicating with the other person.

In addition, everyone must stay away from unheard-of investment platforms, and from downloading unverified applications.

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Anti-scam event draws attention to crimes ensnaring OFWs

 

 

Police Deputy Comm Chow Yat-ming addresses the anti-scam event

A two-day Anti-Scam Carnival which ended today at the West Kowloon Cultural District has shone a spotlight on what has accounted for almost half of all crimes in Hong Kong, and has ensnared a growing number of Filipinos who ended up being imprisoned for money laundering.

Chow Yat-ming, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), said Police recorded 36,405 fraud cases as of October 2024, accounting for 46.3 per cent of the total crimes. The monetary loss involved reached $7.04 billion during the period, he added.

Accompanying the rise in scams was the increase in money laundering cases by nearly 60 per cent as of October 2024, compared with the same period of 2023.

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Chow reminded the public to pay attention to anti-money laundering messages from Police, safeguard their personal accounts, and never rent, lend or sell their bank accounts or e-wallets the third parties.

He urged them to stay vigilant against deception, support Police anti-scam campaigns and share scam prevention information with friends and family to collectively guard against scams.

The public has been receptive to the campaign, as downloads of the mobile application Scameter+ has exceeded 840 000, with an increase of 47 per cent this year.

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Such public involvement in avoiding scams is matched by Police collaboration with various sectors to comprehensively combat scammers.

For instance, since November 2023, Police have worked with the banking industry to implement several measures including the Suspicious Account Alert system, which extended its coverage to include online banking, e-wallets, and bank counter transactions starting from August this year.

This month, the third phase of the system was rolled out to cover automated teller machines (ATMs), offering the public a more comprehensive protection.

The Anti-Scam Carnival was organized by the Commercial Crime Bureau (CCB), the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) and the Financial Intelligence and Investigation Bureau (FIIB) of the Hong Kong Police Force held the Anti-Scam Carnival at the West Kowloon Cultural District to increase public awareness of scam, money laundering and cyber threats through thematic game booths, as well as various music, dance and magic performance.

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Also officiating at the ceremony were the Director of Crime and Security, Yip Wan-lung; the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime), Chung Wing-man; the Chief Superintendent of FIIB, Ms Cheng Lai-ki; the Chief Superintendent of CCB, Yau Kin-hung; and the Chief Superintendent of CSTCB, Lam Cheuk-ho.

In the award presentation of the Anti-Scam of Lucky Draw organised by the CSTCB, attracting over 1.8 million participants, the grand prize winner received an electric vehicle.

To report any scam to police, go to: https://www2.erc.police.gov.hk/cmiserc/EGIS-HK-Web_NEW_UI/ereport_details

$50 bail gets Filipina freed in $90 theft case

 

The alleged theft happened in this Tseung Kwan O estate (Google Maps photo)

A Filipina has been freed after posting bail of $50 for two theft charges based on a complaint by her former employer.

The case against A. Delon, 36 years old, was adjourned to Jan. 13 next year after she appeared on Thursday (Dec. 12) in Kwun Tong court before Acting Principal Magistrate Leung Ka-kie.

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The first charge in the complaint filed by Tseung Kwan O police last Oct. 17, was based on Delon's employer Chen Tianyan's accusation that she stole one face mask costing $30 and a Dove hair conditioner worth $30.

In the second charge, Delon was accused by her employer of stealing one Dove hair conditioner worth $30.

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The alleged thefts happened on Sept. 14 and 15 inside Chen’s flat in Tower 3, Monterey, Tong Chun St., Tseung Kwan O.

Meanwhile, prosecutors withdrew a theft charge against F. Cac, 47 years old, after she agreed in Eastern Court to a bind-over agreement under which she would be fined $1,000 if she reoffends.

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In addition, she was made by Principal Magistrate Don So to pay compensation of $500 to the person she was accused of stealing the amount, Lu Wentao.

The alleged theft happened in a Wellcome store on Queen’s Road West, Western District last Sept. 30.

 

Coldest day this winter recorded in HK today

 

It will be even colder in higher places or those in wide, open areas like Disneyland

The Hong Kong Observatory said the temperature dipped to 13.8 degrees in the urban areas this morning, Saturday, the lowest so far this winter.

It was much colder in some parts of the territory, however, with temperatures dropping to a as low as 3.3 degrees in Tai Mo Shan and around 12 degrees in other parts of the New Territories.

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Tomorrow  is forecast to be even colder as a strong northeast monsoon comes closer to Hong Kong. Temperatures will dip to between 12 and 17 degrees in the city, and a couple of degrees lower in the New Territories, especially on high ground.

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The daytime temperatures will rise gradually early next week, but it will remain cool in the morning and at night.

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Temperatures will range between 14 and 19 degrees on Monday, rising to 16 and 22 degrees on Friday, before dipping a few degrees lower for the rest of the week.

14 persons arrested in latest anti-illegal work sweep

 

One of the women arrested for suspected illegal work is led away

A total of 10 suspected illegal workers, three employers and one aider and abettor, were arrested in a series of territory-wide operations conducted by the Immigration Department over four days,  from Dec. 9 to 14.

In the first phase 13 premises were targeted in different location, including hotels, restaurants and flats under renovation.

Two suspected illegal workers, one man and woman aged 38 and 41 were arrested, along with a 55-year-old woman suspected of employing them.

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Separately, 24 locations in Eastern and Western districts were located, resulting in the arrest of eight suspected illegal workers, two employers and one aider and abettor.

The suspected illegal workers comprised five men and three women, aged 29 to 57. Among them, two men and one woman were found to possess forged Hong Kong identity cards.

Two men, aged 29 and 41, who were suspected of employing the illegal workers, were also arrested. Another man,  aged 65, was also detained on suspicion of aiding and abetting a person in breaching the condition of stay in Hong Kong.

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Illegal work is a serious offence in Hong Kong, for which an immediate custodial  sentence of up to two years and a maximum fine of $50,000 is prescribed.

The length of imprisonment could go up to the three years if the offender is an overstayer, illegal immigrant or a refugee.

Those found to be in possession or have used a fake Hong Kong ID card, or one belonging to another person, could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined a maximum of $100,000.

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Employers  are meted the highest sentence, with the prescribed maximum fine of $500,000 and 10 years in prison.

DH jailed 16 months for money laundering, 2 others await sentence

 

File photo from HK Monetary Authority

A domestic helper became the latest Filipina to be jailed for money laundering after she pleaded guilty at West Kowloon court Friday (Dec. 13).

Alma Natano, 36 years old, was jailed for 16 months after she admitted to dealing with a total of  $1,272,079.08 that flowed in and out of her Bank of China account from March 29 to April 18, 2021.

The offence violates the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance which imposes a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail and a $5 million fine. 

On Thursday, a District Court judge divulged that the Court of Appeals has recently adopted sentencing guidelines that raised the jail term for people found guilty of money laundering, due to the rising prevalence of the offence.

Two other DHs also pleaded guilty Friday at Kwun Tong Court and were detained until their sentencing which was put off pending a background review. 

Separately, the trial of another Filipina who pleaded not guilty at Eastern Court ended on the same day, with the verdict scheduled for Jan. 21 next year. 

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Acting Principal Magistrate Cheng Lim-chi imposed a starting point of 24 months' jail on Natano, but gave her one-third discount for her guilty plea. 

In  Kwun Tong court,  Acting Principal Magistrate Leung Ka-kie put off the sentencing of Katrina Zafra and Antoneth Libaten to Dec. 27 for a background review.

“I need to get information on your background first,” Magistrate Leung said. 

The two Filipinas claimed they had lent their ATM cards to friends who asked for help, In mitigation, their long-time employers sent letters to the court, praising them for their honesty and diligence.

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Zafra and Libaten were detained in the meantime, along with Indonesian DH Sugiarti. Their bank accounts were found to have been used in dealing with money obtained from the same victim in a scam.

Their Chinese co-defendant Lui Shu-wa, was freed on $5,000 bail while her case was adjourned to Feb. 14 next year for further legal advice.

According to the information read out in court, Zafra, 40 years old, handled $539,294.72 through her Hang Seng Bank account, after she lent her ATM card to a certain Estella Corpus. Zafra was said to have been helped in the transaction by a certain Valentin Sunday.

In mitigation, her lawyer said Zafra has worked for the same employer since she arrived in Hong Kong in 2013, taking care of an elderly couple, 79 and 68 years old, and a dog. 

Her employer asked the court to be lenient to her, and vowed to ask the Immigration Department for authority to resume her employment after her release from prison.

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Libaten, 44 years old, handled $1,023,500 through deposits and withdrawals in her HSBC account from 8^th to 15^th of June 2021. She lent her ATM card to Sunday, who said he needed it to remit money to his family.

“She was only helping out,” her lawyer said to describe Libaten, who arrived in Hong Kong in 2009 and had been with one employer for 12 years before she was terminated because of this case.

Over at Eastern Court, Marjorie Tayaoa, 44 years old, went through trial after she pleaded not guilty to handling a total of 1,136, 868.02 using her Mox Bank account from July 20 to Aug. 1, 2023.

She was remanded in jail until Deputy Magistrate Paul Yip hands down his verdict on Jan. 21.

Enjoy the ‘snow’ and lots of shopping in HK this Christmas

 

'Snow' first fell on Lee Tung Avenue last weekend

Are you one of those wishing for a White Christmas in Hong Kong? Fret no more, as you can experience the thrill of being covered with frothy white ‘snow” this weekend on Lee Tung Avenue in Wan Chai.

The popular snow show at the festive street is held every Friday,  Saturday and Sunday, as well as on public holidays and New Year’s Eve, every 7pm, 8pm, and 9pm, with each lasting 15 minutes.

The show will be extra special on Dec 25, Christmas, as it will be accompanied by an appearance by Sinterklaas and a masquerade ball.

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Throughout the festive season until Jan. 1 the popular thoroughfare will be adorned with beautiful Christmas decorations, including stunning light installations inspired by Belgian lace, featuring a 27-meter long arch and an eight-meter-high Christmas tree.

There will also be interactive workshops and live performances, including music by Belgian artists, and a magic show.

Before heading out to Lee Tung for the snow show, you may want to hop on a bus to Stanley Market, where the popular Christmas market will be held for the next two weekends, or on Dec 14-15 and Dec 21 to 26.

Stanley Market adopts Black Gold theme for its Christmas bazaar this yeat

The Noir Gold (Black Gold) Christmas Soiree features over 120 stalls spread across the open-air amphitheatre and Murray House by the beach where visitors can shop for a variety of holiday goodies and handicraft, and enjoy live performances by Ramon Lo from Midline, Sing & Shine.

There will also be a charity sale with all proceeds going to the Little Life Warriors Society.

Stanley Plaza is offering complimentary shuttle bus services to and from Admiralty (outside Admiralty Centre MTR station exit A) and Oi Tung Shopping Centre in Shau Kei Wan during the event. The free shuttle bus will be available every 30minutes from 12pm to 7pm.

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At the nearby Repulse Bay, there will also be one-day Christmas market on Sunday, Dec 15.

Shops at The Marquee and The Seaview Terrace will offer products made by some of Hong Kong’s finest crafters and artisans, including Handmade Hong Kong, CRAFTY BITCH, Yan’s Yarn Crafts, and others.

The West Kowloon Cultural District is also holding its own Christmas Market, which is set to run until Dec. 19.

The market features around 30 specialty stalls selling a wide variety of festive treats, drinks and holiday gifts.

From Dec 21 to Jan 25, 2025, the world-famous Big Bounce World Tour from the United States will also hold shows at the Great Lawn of the WestK Art Park.

Anyone who wants to feel the Christmas  spirit may just drop in
at any mall, including this one at Citygate in Tung Chung

Over at K11 Musea in Tsim Sha Tsui, its popular Christmas Village will return bigger than ever, from Dec 20 to Jan 1, 2025. Entrance is free.

More than 50 local and international lifestyle brands will be putting up products on sale, along with stalls offering festive food and beverages around the mall.

A unique Multicultural Christmas Market by Africa Center HK will also be held on Saturday, Dec. 21, starting at 2pm.

The fair which will be held on the 8^th floor of the Breakthrough Centre at 191 Woosung Street in Jordan, will feature a diverse array of vendors selling accessories, clothing, food and drinks, mostly from Africa.

Those who want to enjoy a specialty meal can book tables at the Centre for a Pan-African Lunch or Ghanaian dinner at $150-$180 per head.

Those who live on Hong Kong island may opt to soak in the festive spirit at  the Murray Christmas Village Market at The Murray on Cotton Tree Drive in Central. The bazaar which opened last weekend, and will reopen on Dec 13-15 and 20-22.

Unique Christmas gift ideas and home decors will be on sale, including perfumes, wines, gourmet treats, photography, and jewelry from renowned brands like Azquare Circle Ltd, CANDLE UP, and Deror Jewellery.

Shoppers can enjoy mulled wine while browsing, and may even be offered complimentary hand massages!

A one-day Christmas pop-up market will also be held by Women of Hong Kong on Dec 14, 12noon to 5pm, at The Women's Lounge, 4th floor, Hollywood Commercial House, 3-5 Old Bailey St, Central.

The market features goods by local craftsmen, including gemstone jewelry, scented candles and gourmet deli treats. Kids get a face-painting treat from by Soosdoodle, while grown-ups sip free hot chocolate or mulled wine, which is free for the first 100 attendees.

The Gold Coast in Tuen Mun is also holding its Christmas Market at the Piazza on weekends until Dec 22.

A wide array of locally made products and other unique gift ideas will be available, along with one-of-a-kind confectionery, desserts, and festive goodies.

In many other places, including theme parks like Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park, special treats are also in store for guests. Check out their websites for their holiday offerings this Christmas season.

 

Pinoy gets 2 months, 1 week for “Peeping Tom”, drug charges

 

The alleged peeping incident happened inside this Kwai Chung mall

A Filipino asylum seeker originally hailed to court on a voyeurism charge at West Kowloon Court, was sentenced yesterday, Thursday, to two months and one week’s imprisonment on three charges -- after spending almost six months in jail.

F. Magallanes, 34 years old and holder of a recognizance form as identity document, had earlier pleaded guilty to voyeurism, possession of a dangerous drug and possession of an apparatus fit and intended for the ingestion of dangerous drug.

Magallanes was remanded in jail custody when his case was adjourned last June 25 after being charged with “surreptitiously“ observing a woman identified as X while she was relieving herself last June 25 at a women’s toilet on the third floor of Kwai Chung Plaza, a mall in Kwai Chung, New Territories, in violation of Section 159AAB or Section 159AAC of the Crimes Ordinance.

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When he appeared at West Kowloon court again on Aug. 28, he faced two additional charges of violating the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, resulting in his being returned to jail until his case is finished.

He was accused of possessing 0.13 gram of methamphetamine hydrochloride in a plastic bag found in his pocket while he was being investigated for the “Peeping Tom” charge at the Police Room of the Kwai Chung MTR station last June 25.

Also found on him was a straw and an ice bottle, used for inhaling meth.

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“Considering the seriousness of charges you are facing, the only sentence I think appropriate is a prison term,” Magistrate Li told him.

After deducting one third of the penalty for Magallanes’ guilty pleas, Li jailed him for two weeks for the “Peeping Tom” charge, and two months for each of the drug charges.

Li also ordered that the sentences for the drug cases run at the same time, along with half of the voyeurism penalty, leaving a final sentence of two months and one week.

Suspended 10-week jail sentence for inhaling meth

 

Photo from Narcotics Division 

A Filipina who uses a recognizance form as identification document, avoided jail today when her 10-week sentence for inhaling a dangerous drug was suspended by 18 months.

Maricris Soliano, 42 years old, was charged with inhaling methamphetamine from an unknown date in February 2023 to June 2023.

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She pleaded guilty in a hearing at the West Kowloon Court.

Magistrate Vivian Ho suspended her sentence for 18 months, admonishing her not to reoffend within the next one and a half years or else she would be jailed for 10 weeks in addition to serving the penalty for her new offense.

HK courts to impose higher sentences for money laundering offences

 

The stricter penalties were announced in a District Court case involving $8.8M in illicit funds

The Department of Justice in Hong Kong is seeking to get higher sentences imposed on people found guilty of money laundering,  in line with new sentencing guidelines set by the Court of Appeal.

This was disclosed in today’s hearing of a case filed against Filipina Lynie B. Acosta, who is charged with three counts of money laundering involving a total of $8.83 million, the highest amount ever recorded for a case involving a foreign domestic helper.

District Court Judge Wong Kwai Kin told 39-year-old Acosta that she will be facing a higher sentence, as advised in a letter sent to her by the DOJ, citing the new guidelines set by the CA as a result of the growing prevalence of money laundering cases in the community.

The gravity of the sentence will depend on the amount involved, and could be mitigated if the accused pleads guilty to the offence. 

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Judge Wong then granted Acosta’s application for an adjournment so she could seek further legal advice. He set the next hearing on Feb. 25 next year and remanded her in custody, after noting that she failed to meet the $100,000 bail recommended for her temporary release by a magistrate earlier.

During the hearing on Oct 3 before Principal Magistrate Don So at Eastern Court, Acosta offered to post a $5,000 bail, saying her employer needed her help in looking after her son and sick mother.

Acosta’s lawyer also told the court her husband died recently in the Philippines, and she was desperate to continue working to pay off the hospital and burial bills and support her children.

Magistrate So said he would allow Acosta to post bail, but raised the amount to $100,000.

The Filipina faces three counts of dealing with “property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offense,” otherwise known as money laundering, n violation of section 25(1) and 25(3) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.

She is charged with dealing with a total amount $8,597,833.36 in her Mox bank account between March 25 and May 19, 2023. She is alleged to have dealt with the money with the help of two persons, one named Jane Corpuz and another unknown.

The same persons were also cited as having helped Acosta deal with $192,940.08 in her account with Standard Chartered Bank, and with $45,100.78 in her account with with the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, both on March 31, 2023.

Under the Ordinance, the maximum sentence for money laundering is imprisonment for 14 years and a fine of $5 million.

One of the highest sentences on record was that imposed on former employment agency owner Ester Ylagan, who was ordered jailed for 32 months in Febuary this year. 

Ylagan admitted laundering a total of $5.7 million, which she made by offering non-existent jobs in Canada and United Kingdom to Filipinos in Hong Kong and Macau.