Mainland man held after flares found at West Kowloon
AM730 · 6 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
A 49-year-old mainland Chinese man surnamed Lee was arrested on Wednesday afternoon after security screening at Hong Kong West Kowloon high-speed rail station found five suspected signal flares in his possession. Police said the man was arrested on suspicion of “making or possessing explosives” and was being held for investigation. The incident happened at about 2:29pm to 2:30pm, when station staff alerted police after the items were discovered during screening. No one was injured, and the case was assigned to Team 4 of the Yau Tsim District crime squad for follow-up.
Key Points
- Station staff at West Kowloon station reported the case at about 2:29pm or around 2:30pm on September 23 after the discovery during security screening.
- The arrested suspect was identified as a 49-year-old mainland Chinese man surnamed Lee, with Sing Tao reporting he held a two-way permit.
- Sources said officers attended the station, carried out an initial inquiry, and arrested the man for suspected “making or possessing explosives”.
- Five suspected signal flares were found during outbound security screening at the high-speed rail station, according to multiple reports on the incident.
- No injuries were reported, and the investigation was handed to Team 4 of the Yau Tsim District criminal investigation unit.
Why It Matters
The case concerns a tightly controlled cross-boundary transport hub where security screening is a routine part of passenger processing. For travellers, the immediate implication is that suspicious or prohibited items found during screening can quickly trigger a police response and criminal investigation.