​To safeguard food security, the Meals and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and Hong Kong Customs bear launched a sequence of blitz operations from October 28 to demand selling aspects of hairy crabs in diverse districts and strive against the illegal sale of hairy crabs, with a look to creating certain that hairy crabs on sale available within the market observe relevant requirements below the felony tricks.

     A spokesman for the FEHD acknowledged at the original time (November 8), “Up unless the day earlier than at the original time (November 7), officers from the Centre for Meals Safety, the Environmental Hygiene Branch of the FEHD and Customs officers bear inspected about 60 premises selling hairy crabs, including food premises and public market stalls. The source documents and health certificates of the hairy crabs were checked to be particular that the hairy crabs sold at the premises are in compliance with the Public Effectively being and Municipal Companies Ordinance (Cap. 132) to boot to the Exchange Descriptions Ordinance (TDO) (Cap. 362) and are match for human consumption. The FEHD and Customs officers also dispensed promotional leaflets to the operators of the premises, reminding them to listen to food security and observe relevant requirements below the felony tricks. At some level of the operations, no contravention modified into found out.”

     Below the Meals Exchange Legislation (Cap. 132X), build with the written permission of the Director of Meals and Environmental Hygiene (DFEH), no particular person shall sell any restricted foods, including shellfish. Operators selling hairy crabs (including physical premises and on-line gross sales) shall earn the Shell Fish (Hairy Crab) Allow or relevant written permission granted by the FEHD. Furthermore, the relevant regulatory condition also stipulates that hairy crabs for sale shall be obtained from a first price and revered source. A duplicate of the health certificates issued by the relevant authority and acceptable to the DFEH shall also be saved. Below the Legislation, any one who operates an unlicensed food business or sells restricted foods without permission commits an offence and is prone to a most beautiful of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.

     Besides as, in accordance with the Public Effectively being and Municipal Companies Ordinance (Cap. 132), all food on hand for sale in Hong Kong, domestically produced or imported, desires to be match for human consumption. An culprit on this regard is field to a most beautiful of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction. Below the Meals Safety Ordinance (Cap. 612), any one who, without life like excuse, fails to watch the file-keeping requirement referring to to motion of food commits an offence and is prone to a most beautiful of $10,000 and imprisonment for 3 months upon conviction.

     Customs reminds merchants now no longer to watch a fraudulent trade description to goods or products and services, or to provide or provide to provide goods or products and services to which a fraudulent trade description is utilized. Folks who violate the TDO are liable on conviction to a most beautiful of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years. Customs also attaches sizable significance to the protection of user rights and would possibly maybe presumably simply select acceptable enforcement motion as soon as activities in violation of the TDO are detected available within the market. 

     The FEHD and Customs remind the trade now no longer to import or positioned on sale hairy crabs with an unknown foundation, and consumers must hang purchases at revered shops with the Shell Fish (Hairy Crab) Allow or relevant written permission granted by the FEHD.

     If members of the public suspect that there are operators selling hairy crabs without the relevant permits/permissions or the hairy crabs are now no longer accompanied with health certificates, they’ll also simply hang a document by calling the FEHD hotline at 2868 0000 or via email (enquiries@fehd.gov.hk).

     Besides as, members of the public would possibly maybe presumably simply hang a document to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email epic (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) within the occasion that they find that hairy crabs offered are of a falsely claimed place of origin. 

Ends/Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Issued at HKT 20:36

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