East Rail Line users stung by new luggage limits
Baggage restrictions designed to curb parallel-goods trading are penalising local couriers and normal travellers over the Lunar New Year
Luggage limits on the East Rail Line, designed to deter parallel-goods traders, caused problems for regular travellers yesterday.
With the weight limit slashed from 32kg to 23kg, airport and mainland-bound travellers and couriers carrying goods within the city for local companies were caught in the net to restrict parallel-goods trading.
Meanwhile, the security chief said 600 suspected parallel-goods traders from Shenzhen had been turned back at the border as part of the effort to curb the trade and ease a shortage of infant milk formula.
"The number of parallel-goods traders coming to Hong Kong has dropped, which means there have been fewer packed goods … carried by these traders," Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok said on RTHK.
"By strengthening the list of suspected parallel-goods carriers [and] questioning suspected traders … immigration control has been reinforced."
But normal passengers trying to get their luggage onto the MTR trains were not impressed.