RESTRICTED
the Cormission of the measures that the Hong Kong Government has
takon to assist and implement its work.
Prevention of Snuggling and Trafficking
4. Over recent years both the Preventive Service, which is responsible
for measures against smuggling, and the Police Narcotics Bureau have
been strengthened considerably.
Seizures in pounds weight for the period 1963/1966 are as
5.
follows:-
Opium
Morphine
Heroin
1963
1,648
340
264
1964
1,995
292
91
1965
6,540
407
78
1966
10,904
896
56
Those figures, reflect the unremitting efforts of the authorities and
represent a considerable degree of success. The loss to traffickers in
1966 through drugs seized is estimated at 70 million dollars.
6. The nature and geography of Hong Kong port, the great amount of
traffic in the harbour, and the rapid turn round of shipping necessary
to meet the requirements of its legitimate commercial trade, are all
factors which nake fully effective measures against smuggling physically
impossible. Special guard and search arrangements are in force for
vessels coning from narcotic-suspect ports (e.g. Bangkok) but, even in
the case of these vessels, the ingenuity of the smugglers and the ease
of concealment of narcotic drugs is such that most seizures are the
result of information received.
Drug Addiction
7.
Estimates of the extent of drug addiction are always very
difficult because heroin addiction (opium addiction is now very rare)
is a private vice which requires no tell-tale proparation. The
Hong Kong Government's own estinate, confirmed by rocent survey using
nodern sampling methods made on behalf of the Hong Kong Discharged
RESTRICTED
/Prisoners'