Category: Police
S. Lantau permit violations soar after rules eased
The number of drivers caught on South Lantau without a permit has soared since the government eased restrictions on non-local vehicles early this year.
In the first six months of 2016, police summonsed 138 drivers in South Lantau for driving without a closed road permit, more than one and a half times the number penalised in all of 2015. The drivers were caught at traffic stops and snap checks, Lantau police say.
The level of speeding offences is also up sharply. Police issued 125 tickets in the first half, compared with 204 in 2015. Continue reading
Tai O faces flooding threat, expert warns
Leung Wing-mo, a former Hong Kong Observatory assistant director, has warned of a high risk of flooding in Tai O and other low-lying areas from Typhoon Nida.
Leung says that Nida’s expected landfall tonight coincides with the monthly high tide, where water levels will be 1m higher than usual. If the typhoon hits western Hong Kong, as is widely predicted, “low-lying areas like Tai O have the prospect of facing a greater risk of flooding,” RTHK reported.
Some Tai O residents say authorities built a breakwater in Tai O after Typhoon Hagupit in 2008, but are not certain about how effective that will be, RTHK said. Continue reading
Typhoon Nida to make direct hit on Lantau
Satellite image at 10:30 HK time, Sunday. Source: HK Observatory
Lantau will take the full brunt of typhoon Nida, according to Hong Kong and international weather services.
The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), US National Hurricane Centre and the Korea Meteorological Administration all predict Nida will strike Lantau Island, according to the Weather Underground (below).
Prosecutions soar for Lantau closed road breaches
Prosecutions of drivers entering South Lantau without a permit have risen by nearly three-fifths in the last two years, according to Transport Dept figures.
Police prosecuted 1007 drivers last year, up from 823 in 2014 and 637 in 2013, the department said in answer to a question from Legco member Kwok Ka Ki.
South Lantau police chief David Bennett, a former traffic policeman who took on the post early last year, has said he would make road safety a priority.
Prominent lawyers pay tribute to John Rhind
Prominent senior counsel Martin Lee and Ronny Tong have paid tribute to former High Court judge and South Lantau resident John Rhind.
Rhind, 80, went missing while on a regular walk from his home in Pui O last Monday. His body was found at Tong Fuk beach on Thursday.
Martin Lee, a senior barrister and founder of the Democratic Party, described Rhind as “gentleman,” Apple Daily reported. “A very fine person, a very fine temperament, I am stunned at his disappearance.”
Ronny Tong, former Legco and Civic Party member, described Rhind as “very approachable … a relatively commonsense and generous judge.” Continue reading
Another 7 migrants detained off Fan Lau
Police have arrested another group of suspected illegal migrants attempting to enter Hong Hong via Lantau.
Marine Police intercepted a sampan near Fan Lau in southwest Lantau at 5am today and detained seven non-Chinese males, aged between 26 and 34. Separately, they also arrested a 45 year-old Chinese man suspected of collaborating with the group. Continue reading
Another 13 Sth Asian migrants arrested after Lantau landing
Another 13 South Asian men have been arrested in the past nine days after illegally arriving on Lantau by boat.
Six Indian and Bangladeshi nationals arrived at Fan Lau in south-west Lantau early Saturday morning. After being arrested they said they would apply for asylum under the UN Convention Against Torture (UNCAT), the Oriental Daily News said.
Police received a report at 10am and went to the scene, where they intercepted the six, who had arrived by boat earlier that day. They were aged between 20 and 59. As with earlier illegal arrivals, they had flown legally to Guangzhou, where a snakehead had arranged to transport them to Shenzhen and then to Fan Lau by boat. Continue reading
Chef hit by Tung Chung bus dies in hospital
A 38-year-old man died in North Lantau Hospital after being struck by a bus on Sunday morning.
The man, surnamed Ng, wascrossing Yat Tung Rd near the Tung Chung bus terminal when he was struck by the no. 34 bus and dragged underneath the vehicle, sustaining serious injuries.
Ng, who worked as a chef at Discovery Bay, was listening to music through earphones as he crossed the road, Apple Daily reported.
Police arrested the 63-year-old bus driver on suspicion of dangerous driving.
They have appealed for witnesses to contact investigating officers on 3661 1300.
Sth Asian illegal immigrants targeting Lantau
Police have detained nine South Asian men who came ashore in the remote village of Sham Wat, south-west Lantau, last week.
The nine, including two from Afghanistan, had flown legally to Guangzhou, where they had hired a snakehead to bring them to Hong Kong.
Local residents called police after they found none of the men could speak Cantonese. One of them had asked in English for a cab to go to “the city,” Oriental Daily News reported.
Of the nine men, five were from Pakistan and two were from Bangladesh. All had passports. Continue reading
New police chief targets speedsters
The new Lantau South police chief, an ex-traffic cop, has made road safety one of his priorities. Among other things, he’s considering putting plainclothes police on NLB buses and cracking down on drivers without Lantau road permits. As reported, he’s not a fan of opening up South Lantau’s roads to more cars.
More details here at the LBA blog.
