In Brief

Heroin found in the cells of two reception centre inmates

Two remand inmates with records of drug trafficking were found to have concealed drugs in their cells in two reception centres. Officers of the Correctional Services Department found a total of 15 tablets of suspected heroin wrapped in plastic sheets in the cell of a 36-year-old male at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre on Monday morning. The man was earlier admitted to the centre for drug trafficking and was detained in an isolation cell on May 22 for close observation because the department believed he had swallowed some drugs before his admission. Officers also found five tablets believed to be heroin wrapped in plastic sheets in the cell of a 31-year-old female at Tai Lam Centre yesterday. She was admitted to the centre for drug trafficking on May 22. There were 188 seizures of dangerous drugs last year and 56 this year as of May 24.

The majority of the seizures took place in reception centres.

Government to pay compensation for taking back tea plantation The government has agreed to pay the estate of the wife of late barrister and Urban Council member Brook Bernacchi HK$3 million for a Lantau Island tea plantation that it took back without paying compensation. Robert Whitehead SC, Bernacchi's stepson, had taken out the claim for compensation on tea bushes at the Ngong Ping tea plantation at the Court of First Instance as executor for the estate of his mother, Patricia Bernacchi. In addition, the government, which took back the 42-hectare plot, containing over 100,000 tea bushes, in 2003, will pay Whitehead's legal fees.

Truck driver jailed for paying 13-year-old boys for anal sex

A truck driver who paid two 13-year-old boys HK$500 each to have anal sex with him was jailed for five years and eight months at the Court of First Instance yesterday. Lam Tak-kuen, 44, earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of buggery. He met one of the boys, in Form Three, in the summer of 2008 on a gay website and subsequently met his friend through him. Lam took photos and videos of their activities. After they had anal sex, he gave them HK$500. One of the boys' fathers later found out and notified school social workers, who reported it to police.

Veterinary drug malachite green found in food samples

Two out of 300 Southeast Asian food samples obtained from more than 100 retail outlets were found yesterday to contain malachite green, a drug used by veterinarians to treat fungal infections. A sample of Thai steamed mullet obtained from a Quarry Bay Thai restaurant was found to contain 0.87 ppm of malachite green while a sample of deep fried fish cake obtained from a Sai Kung Thai restaurant was found to contain 0.012ppm of malachite green. Both vendors were asked to stop selling the affected food.

A spokesman for The Centre for Food Safety said the levels of malachite green in the samples were unlikely to pose adverse health effects. It is an offence to sell food containing malachite green in Hong Kong. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of HK$50,000 and six months' imprisonment.