0003160 G.F. 316
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20.
The final point to be made about Thailand at this stage concerns the trawler smuggling operations to Hong Kong referred to earlier in this paper. There are several thousand fishing trawlers operating out of Bangkok and the smaller ports along the coast of Thailand, most of them engaged about their lawful business. However, some of these vessels are used to smuggle opium and morphine base to Hong Kong and elsewhere. The Americans are working closely with the Thai Government to stop this method of exporting narcotics in bulk to the international markets but so far with only limited positive results. The lack of success achieved in detecting trawler smuggling operations at the point of departure from Thailand, or in Thai territorial waters, is indicative of the increasing difficulties which face law enforce- ment agencies the further drugs move away from the source of supply and into the multi-channel underground trafficking routes. It would be surprising if corruption did not play a considerable part in facilitating these clandestine operations.
21.
Once a Thai fishing trawler enters international waters it is immune from naval interception by the ships of other countries. The traffickers are aware of this and rely upon it for protection. Although from time to time good intelligence is obtained regarding the movement of Thai trawlers towards Hong Kong, indeed they have been tracked for considerable distances on occasions, nevertheless nothing can be done to stop and search them on the high seas, and it has not proved possible at the Hong Kong end to make many seizures as the drugs enter Colony waters for reasons already explained.
The Situation in Laos
22.
Laos is not considered to be a narcotics exporting country for the international markets at the present time, the drugs produced being largely consumed within the country so far as can be determined. However, Laos is used as a place of transit for drugs in movement from Burma into Thailand and South Vietnam as previously related. Because of the confused situation existing in the country generally due to protracted military operations, not very much is known about opium production taken overall, but about 30 tons annually is reckoned to be grown in those areas not controlled by the Communists.
23.
The first anti-narcotics law in Laos became effective in November 1971 prohibiting commercial transactions in opium and its derivatives, but permitting tribesmen over the age of 40 who have traditionally grown opium to continue to do so under licence for their own consumption. It is intended to halt all poppy growing in Laos sometime in the future but the Government will only implement this part of its programme when crop substitution and rehabilitation measures can be extended to the tribesmen in the growing areas. In January 1972 the Groupe Speciale d'Investi- gation (G.S.I.), which is roughly the equivalent of the Royal Hong Kong Police Narcotics Bureau, was established to enforce the new anti-narcotics law. The G.S.I. has a strength of about 60 and since its inception has made some good seizures. American narcotic agents work in close co-operation with it The Americans are also
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