CONFIDENTIAL
further with us, it would seem desirable for an expert from here to be able to see the problems on the ground.
One further suggestion in this field was made which you might like to consider. If, as I believe is the case, from time to time you obtain intelligence that a trawler has set out for Hong Kong it might be possible to use very high level aerial photography to detect its approach. As I understand it, such photography could be used over a widish crea on the approaches to Hong Kong on the known or suspected routes of the trawlers and if you could pinpoint a trawler far enough out by the se
The means you might be able to have a reception committee waiting for it. practicability of this proposal would need to be examined carcfully, particularly on a cost benefit basis, but I am advised that the techniques are well enough developed to make it technically possible.
DETECTION OF HEROIN LABORATORIES
Techniques have been developed for the purpose of detecting air pollution which might be employed against the heroin laboratories. Further research would need to be done to see if these techniques can be applied to the detection ofthe heroin refining process. We believe the Americans are pressing ahead with research into mass spectrometry for this purpose, but we do not know whether they have considered the use of, what is called, auto-correlation spectroscopy and this might be worth following up. Again, it would need technical experts to look at the problems on the ground to ace what the possibilities werc. A forthcoming international mecting in Paris on the subject of use of science and technology for the detection of drug offences may provide a forum for the discussion of the practicalities of using such devices as these. I shall ask our representatives to bear your requirements in mind.
ADULTERATION OF ACETIC ANHYDRIDE
This does not seem to be a starter. I am advised that it is almost certain that adulteration of acetic anhydride in such a way as to inhibit the reaction that occurs in the heroin making process would also destroy the use of acetic anhydride in industry. In any case, even if it were possible to obtain an international agreement of manufacturers of acetic anhydride to adulterate it, the production of acetic anhydride is a very simple chemical process and is well within the capacity of the heroin chemist.
USE OF DOGS
I know that you have your own dog training school in Hong Kong and I understand that we recently sent out a number of alsatians and labradors for training in Hong Kong. No doubt you have been following up the use of dogs at your end but I thought it
I am told that there is would be as well to report to you what I had discovered. technically no difficulty in training a dog to detect acetic anhydride. Individual dogs here have been treined to detect a number of drugs and not one specific:lly. Labradors are very useful for this purpose because they can be handled by a number
I understand of trained handlers, whereas alsatians tend only to work for one man. that we have helped with the training of dogs for use in very hot climates, for example in Singapore and in Australia, and that, provided the dogs are used only in
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