HK Probes Report Of UK Consulate Worker's Arrest

Hong Kong Immigration Department said on Tuesday that it's following up on a report that an employee of the British Consulate here has been detained on the mainland.

This comes after the British Foreign office in London said it is concerned about the report that Hong Kong consulate employee Simon Cheng was detained while he was travelling back to the city from Shenzhen.

The immigration officials said they are following up the matter through the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office in Guangdong.

Earlier, British Foreign Office said it was "extremely concerned" by the report of the detention and seeking more information about it from authorities in Guangdong and Hong Kong.

"We are extremely concerned by reports that a member of our team has been detained returning to Hong Kong from Shenzhen," a Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said in a statement.

"We are providing support to his family," it said,

A report in local news outlet HK01 said Cheng had travelled to Shenzhen for a one-day business meeting on August 8 but has failed to return.

Media reports said Cheng is a trade and investment officer at the Scottish Development International section of the consulate. He attended a business event in Shenzhen on August 8 and was scheduled to return on the same day. (Additional reporting by AFP, AP)

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