FEHD closes Sha Tin unlicensed food premises

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (March 21) obtained from the court a closure order against a food premises in Sha Tin which has been continuously operating without a licence.

The food premises is located at shop No. 5 on the ground floor of Greenwood Garden at 7-11 Sha Kok Street. Its operators have been arrested and prosecuted for operating an unlicensed food business on 34 occasions since last January. A total of 21 convictions for the breach were recorded against the food establishment, resulting in a total fine of $26,820. The remaining cases are still pending hearings.

A spokesman for the FEHD said, "Given the fact that the food premises persistently breached the Food Business Regulation by operating without a licence, the FEHD applied to the court for a closure order under section 128B of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance. Upon affixing a copy of the closure order at a conspicuous place on the premises earlier today, it will come into force at the beginning of the eighth day (March 29) in accordance with the law. The department will continue to take stringent enforcement actions against unlicensed restaurants to safeguard food safety and public health."

According to the Food Business Regulation, anyone operating an unlicensed food business commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000, imprisonment for six months and a daily fine of $900.

A list of licensed restaurants is available on the FEHD's website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/licence-type.html), the spokesman said. Licensed restaurants are also required to display their licences and a sign indicating that the premises are licensed at a conspicuous place on the premises. With these measures in place, members of the public will be able to tell whether a food establishment is licensed or not. People can report any unlicensed restaurants through 1823.

Ends/Friday, March 21, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:23