Hong Kong Customs today (December 6) conducted a test-buy operation to combat restaurants supplying short-weight seafood and found a restaurant in Yau Ma Tei suspected of supplying short-weight Alaskan crab.
During the operation, Customs officers ordered an Alaskan crab. A staff member of the restaurant weighed a crab with a spring balance and declared the crab had a weight of 80 taels.
Upon examination, Customs officers found that the crab was short of weight by about 9.65 taels. The spring balance was also found to be inaccurate.
Investigation is ongoing.
Under the Weights and Measures Ordinance (WMO), any person who in the course of trade supplies goods to another person by weight or measure should supply the goods in net weight or net measure. Any shortage of the quantity purporting to be supplied is an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $10,000. In addition, any person who uses for trade, or has in his possession for use for trade, any weighing or measuring equipment which is false or defective commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $20,000.
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the WMO. Consumers are also reminded to make purchases from reputable shops and pay attention to the process of weighing by restaurants when ordering food supplied in weight.
Customs will continue to take stringent enforcement action against short-weight activities at restaurants to protect consumers' interests and uphold a fair trading environment.
Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the WMO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Thursday, December 6, 2018
