New judgments

At Hong Kong International Airport on 29 February 2020, customs officers stopped YOUNG FONG YANG (楊年芳) as she arrived from Penang via Bangkok and found 2,982 grams of ice (methamphetamine) in three wrapped objects in her yellow suitcase. Customs officer PW1 said the applicant initially called the objects crystals, later denied knowing what they were, and, after a read-back, altered the record, left it unsigned, and requested to contact a lawyer; PW1 denied conditioning the call on signing. A left-middle-finger fingerprint was found on one inner plastic bag, and WhatsApp messages were extracted from a gold Samsung phone that the applicant said her cousin had borrowed. The applicant testified that Mandy gave her the objects as birthday gifts, claimed they were crystals, and denied receiving or sending the drug-related messages. She had changed her name in 2015; the prosecution said the change showed she was concealing her identity and accused her of inventing explanations after seeing adverse evidence. The jury convicted her of trafficking dangerous drugs, and 黃崇厚 J sentenced her to 26 years' imprisonment.

On 6 June 2023 at about 3:00 a.m., police stopped a light goods van driven by the applicant at a roadblock in 深水埗 and searched a silver-grey paper bag, P1. P1 contained HK$6,290 and a translucent pink zippered pouch, P2, holding four packages comprising 58 clear resealable bags of white powder. The Government analyst identified 26.91 g of ketamine and 0.58 g of cocaine in P2; P8, found later in the applicant's right front trouser pocket at a police station, contained 0.15 g of cocaine. The applicant denied trafficking but gave inconsistent accounts of the person who supplied the job, a purported HK$500 payment, whether she inspected P1 and an alleged black plastic bag. She admitted possessing P8 and longstanding drug use. The June 2023 street values were HK$19,477 for the ketamine and HK$502 and HK$133 for the two cocaine portions.

The applicant sought judicial review of decisions made by the Director and the Board, complaining that they were unreasonable, irrational and unfair. She alleged that the Director failed to appreciate or give proper weight to state acquiescence, and that the Board over-relied on Country of Origin information while failing to take into account her personal background and experience. She also alleged reliance on unofficial web news and absence of proper investigation of her claims. The Court of Appeal found these assertions vague, bare and unsupported by particulars or evidence.

On 14 November 2023, Deputy High Court Judge Bruno Chan refused the applicant's application for leave to apply for judicial review ([2023] HKCFI 2924). The applicant's reapplication for extension of time to appeal against that refusal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on 5 March 2026 ([2026] HKCA 301). On 25 March 2026, the applicant filed a Notice of Motion seeking leave to appeal to the Court of Final Appeal, together with a supporting affirmation and 39 pages of documents. In his written submissions, he complained of lack of language and legal assistance, and of decisions reached without an oral hearing, and claimed that the Board's decision was not read or translated to him. He also made general assertions of fear if refouled. The Director of Immigration notified the court that the applicant was removed from Hong Kong between 4 May 2026 and 10 May 2026.

The applicant, MAHMOOD TARIQ, applied for leave to apply for judicial review in connection with his removal from Hong Kong. He alleged that the decision against him was unfair and that it would make him liable to be removed to a risk state in his home country where his life was unsafe. His assertions were vague and unsupported by any particulars or evidence.