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Officers of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (June 15) in separate blitz operations smashed three unlicensed food factories and seized about 1,860 kilogrammes of rice dumplings, dumpling fillings and pig skin.
¡@¡@ A total of one man and three women were arrested during the operations and are assisting investigation.
¡@ ¡@Acting on information, department officers this morning raided an unlicensed food factory at Chun Yeung Street, North Point and seized about 440 kilogrammes of rice dumplings and dumpling fillings. A man and a woman were arrested.
¡@¡@ Separately, another team of officers raided an unlicensed food factory in Shek Wu Wai, San Tin, Yuen Long. They seized 143 kilogrammes of rice dumplings and dumpling fillings and arrested a woman.
¡@¡@ During this operation, the officers also raided another unlicensed food factory in the same village. A total of 1,280 kilogrammes of pig skin, including 40 kilogrammes of processed pig skin and 1,240 kilogrammes of semi-finished product, was seized. A woman was also arrested.
¡@¡@ A department spokesman said stringent enforcement action would continue to be taken against unlicensed food business to safeguard food safety and public health.
¡@¡@ Under the Food Business Regulation, the maximum penalty for operating an unlicensed food factory is a fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment.
¡@¡@ "The public should report such illegal activities through the department's hotline at 2868 0000," he said.
Ends/Friday, June 15, 2007
Issued at HKT 20:08
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