Apology sought after HK formula snafu

A woman from the Chinese mainland, wrongly nabbed by Hong Kong customs officers for breaking a contentious regulation against importing powdered baby formula, is demanding restitution.

"I have authorized my lawyer to demand 1,325.7 yuan ($213) in compensation to make up for my losses, as well as a formal written apology by Hong Kong customs," Huang Xuejiao from Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Mainlanders have chafed at new regulations preventing them from importing more than two cans of powdered baby formula. The rules are intended to prevent visitors, distrustful of the quality of formula at home, from clearing out the shelves in Hong Kong at the expense of local mothers.

Huang is seeking 325.7 yuan for telephone expenses to Hong Kong customs, rescheduling flight fees, hotel expenses, and 1,000 yuan for mental suffering.

"The 1,000 yuan mental damage compensation is just a symbol. Hong Kong customs asked me to put down 1,000 yuan to bail myself out that day. So please give me another 1,000 yuan to take away all the displeasure this has caused," she said.

Huang was detained by Hong Kong customs on March 15, when she tried to leave with two cans of milk powder weighing 1.8 kilograms and four cans of cereal powder that weighed 1.2 kilograms. Customs officials required Huang to appear in court on April 18.

Four days later, Hong Kong customs withdrew the accusation against Huang and 11 other people in similar cases, and promised to return the seized products and the bail money.

In a statement from Hong Kong customs sent to the Global Times on Thursday, the officials admitted that cereal powder doesn't fall under the scope of the regulation restricting the amount of baby formula taken out of Hong Kong. They added they will not address individual cases.

In March, Hong Kong started to implement new import and export regulations limiting people from leaving with more than 1.8 kilograms of powdered baby formula. Offenders will be punished with a fine of up to HK$500,000 ($64,400) and up to two years imprisonment.