Police intervene as tempers rise over milk formula trade
As an elderly man angrily denied accusations he was a parallel-goods trader, his shouts drew in dozens of police officers, who escorted him from the scene.
Police intervened yesterday at Sheung Shui MTR station amid fears of a confrontation between parallel-goods traders carrying infant milk formula to the mainland and protesters waving the colonial Hong Kong flag.
Only a handful of parallel-goods traders were using the station, in stark contrast to previous days when a steady line of mainlanders could be seen heading for the border pushing trolleys laden with cans of milk formula.
The government announced on Friday it would amend the import and export law to limit every person departing Hong Kong to two cans, or 1.8kg, of milk powder. The measure is expected to take effect as soon as this month.
A 24-hour government hotline set up for parents to place orders for seven major formula brands had received 3,416 calls as of 5pm. About half the calls were referred to suppliers.
Dispensaries in Sheung Shui said the number of customers had dropped significantly following Friday's announcement.