Latest news with #SecurityBureau
RTHK
2 days ago
- Health
- RTHK
Ban on space oil ingredients 'stops drug production'
Ban on space oil ingredients 'stops drug production' Henry Tong welcomes the government's proposal to ban all etomidate analogues. File photo: RTHK The government's latest proposal to ban all synthetic versions of a space oil drug ingredient can effectively prevent the production of different types of the drug, chairman of the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health Henry Tong said. The Security Bureau on Tuesday proposed introducing a generic definition of etomidate analogues under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, empowering law enforcement agencies to ban the trafficking of all etomidate analogues. Tong told RTHK that he welcomes the bureau's action. 'That's an effective way to prevent criminals from keep creating different space oil drugs,' he said. Tong also appealed to the government to impose a complete ban on the possession of e-cigarettes, which he said are the 'main and only device' for young people to take the space oil drug. 'If the government can outlaw the possession of any e-cigarettes in Hong Kong, that sends a very clear message to all the people that e-cigarette itself, the device itself, is illegal and dangerous,' he said. Tong also said many students became drug users due to various reasons, such as coming from broken families, suffering mental stress or having been bullied by other students.
RTHK
2 days ago
- Health
- RTHK
Ban on space oil ingredients 'stops drug production'
Ban on space oil ingredients 'stops drug production' Henry Tong welcomes the government's proposal to ban all etomidate analogues. File photo: RTHK The government's latest proposal to ban all synthetic versions of a space oil drug ingredient can effectively prevent the production of different types of the drug, chairman of the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health Henry Tong said. The Security Bureau on Tuesday proposed introducing a generic definition of etomidate analogues under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, empowering law enforcement agencies to ban the trafficking of all etomidate analogues. Tong told RTHK that he welcomes the bureau's action. 'That's an effective way to prevent criminals from keep creating different space oil drugs,' he said. Tong also appealed to the government to impose a complete ban on the possession of e-cigarettes, which he said are the 'main and only device' for young people to take the space oil drug. 'If the government can outlaw the possession of any e-cigarettes in Hong Kong, that sends a very clear message to all the people that e-cigarette itself, the device itself, is illegal and dangerous,' he said. Tong also said many students became drug users due to various reasons, such as coming from broken families, suffering mental stress or having been bullied by other students.
RTHK
3 days ago
- Health
- RTHK
HK aims to widen ban on space oil ingredients
HK aims to widen ban on space oil ingredients Commissioner for Narcotics Kesson Lee said Hong Kong would be the first place in the world to ban all etomidate analogues. File photo: RTHK The Security Bureau has proposed classifying all synthetic versions of etomidate, a space oil drug ingredient, as dangerous drugs. Speaking to the Legislative Council's security panel on Tuesday, Commissioner for Narcotics Kesson Lee noted that the government banned etomidate and its three analogues in February. However, scientific studies have proven that other analogues may also be turned into illegal drugs, despite the differences in their chemical structures, he said. 'It's just like no matter how a monster changes its form, it's still a monster.' Lee proposed introducing a generic definition of etomidate analogues under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, empowering law enforcement agencies to ban the trafficking of all etomidate analogues in a pre-emptive step. Lee said Hong Kong recorded 191 space oil drug abusers in the first quarter of this year, among which 128 were aged under 21. Since the government listed etomidate as a dangerous drug on February 14, the authorities have arrested 315 people and prevented at least 150,000 e-cartridges infused with the substance from entering the local market, authorities said. In addition, the government has vowed to step up the control of new dangerous chemicals, proposing to regulate six substances that have been put under international control recently.
South China Morning Post
26-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong police drop public tender for IT revamp amid geopolitical tensions
Hong Kong police have called off the public tendering process for upgrading the force's computer and communications systems to ensure their security and supply stability amid heightened geopolitical tensions. Advertisement According to a Security Bureau document set to be discussed at a meeting of the Legislative Council's security panel on June 3, the force will instead directly approach suppliers that meet all of its requirements. Tendering procedures were already under way after the government secured the support of the panel back in 2023, the bureau wrote in the paper, which was made available online on Monday. 'However, as the project is related to the daily law enforcement work of police and directly affects national security, public safety, public order and the maintenance of law and order, police have updated their risk assessment,' it said. 'Based on the latest geopolitical risk assessment and taking into account potential medium and long-term supply chain and information security risks, police consider it necessary to increase the security and reliability requirements of this project to ensure the stability of the supply chain and enhance the long-term security and availability of the protection system. Advertisement 'In this context, police have decided to cancel this tender in the interests of the public and will adopt a direct-purchase approach to identify reliable suppliers that meet their service requirements.'
South China Morning Post
26-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong police drop public tender for IT revamp, citing security concerns
Hong Kong police have called off the public tendering process for upgrading the force's computer and communications systems to ensure their security and supply stability amid heightened geopolitical tensions. According to a Security Bureau document set to be discussed at a meeting of the Legislative Council's security panel on June 3, the force will instead directly approach suppliers that meet all of its requirements. Tendering procedures were already under way after the government secured the support of the panel back in 2023, the bureau wrote in the paper, which was made available online on Monday. 'However, as the project is related to the daily law enforcement work of police and directly affects national security, public safety, public order and the maintenance of law and order, police have updated their risk assessment,' it said. 'Based on the latest geopolitical risk assessment and taking into account potential medium and long-term supply chain and information security risks, police consider it necessary to increase the security and reliability requirements of this project to ensure the stability of the supply chain and enhance the long-term security and availability of the protection system. 'In this context, police have decided to cancel this tender in the interests of the public and will adopt a direct-purchase approach to identify reliable suppliers that meet their service requirements.'
