Police have closed the file on a 10-month investigation into an alleged surrogacy deal involving Henderson Land Development vice-chairman Peter Lee Ka-kit who had three sons born to him a year ago.
A police spokesman said yesterday that after consulting the Department of Justice, it had been decided to end the probe as there was not enough evidence to show that a criminal offence had been committed.
The news comes just weeks after the Council on Human Reproductive Technology and the Medical Council issued a statement reiterating that the initiating or taking part in any negotiations involving commercial surrogacy, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, was unlawful.
Henderson Land announced the birth of the three boys on October 26 last year. The babies, Chi-shun, Chi-yan and Chi-yung, were born in the United States. Peter Lee is the elder son of the company's chairman, Lee Shau-kee.
The babies' mother has not been named, but it was reported that the woman was a surrogate mother hired in California.
Commercial surrogacy is illegal in Hong Kong but not in the US.