Hong Kong customs has banned the sale of a model of laser pointer, a handheld tool often used by demonstrators to flash at police in street protests, after tests found the device was unsafe.
But the Customs and Excise Department said the move was not related to the ongoing protests, as its testing operation was launched three months before the mass extradition bill demonstrations started in early June.
“Our test-buy operation was conducted in March. It was only a coincidence that we finished the testing and took action recently. The customs operation is not related to the recent protests,” a spokesman said.
Officers bought a laser pointer from a retailer in Sham Shui Po in March for testing during a regular product safety check operation, after finding the model did not carry bilingual warnings or cautions in specified places as required by goods safety regulations.