*******************************************************
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) yesterday (December 20) arrested two fresh provision shop licensees for breaching the ban on keeping live poultry at retail outlets overnight.
In a blitz operation mounted at about 9pm last night, FEHD officers seized a total of 202 live chickens and minor poultry in two licensed fresh provision shops in Tin Shui Wet Market, Tin Shui Estate, Yuen Long.
The two licensees were arrested for allegedly breaching the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X), which bans the keeping of live poultry at retail outlets overnight.
The arrested persons, a 46-year-old woman and a 49-year-old man, have been bailed out pending further investigation.
Under the Regulation, operators of live poultry market stalls and fresh provision shops should slaughter all live poultry remaining at their premises before 8pm each day and no live poultry should be kept up to 5am the next day. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment.
"We will continue to take stringent enforcement action against overnight stocking of live poultry at retail premises to reduce the risk of human infection by avian influenza viruses," an FEHD spokesman said.
Ends/Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Issued at HKT 19:01
NNNN