South China Morning Post
Vol. XXIX No. 136
HONGKONG, SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 1973
Price 50 cents
Drugs: Govt criticised at secret meeting
By KEVIN SINCLAIR
The Hongkong Government and all its drugs fighting agencies have come in for harsh criticism at a secret meeting between top narcotics experts from Britain and America.
Although every member at the top-level conference on narcotics had been sworn to secrecy. I discovered last night that criticism of the Hongkong Government and the way in which it deals with drug traffickers has been held up to ridicule.
Allegations of corruption among Hongkong Government officials have also been made at the high level meeting on narcotics, which began in secret at a conference room in the Colonial Secretariat on Wednesday.
A top man at the conference was Mr John Ingersol. Director of the American Federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.
Last night. Mr Ingersol brushed aside my questions at his hotel door and refused to discuss what had happened during the conference.
"We are playing a deadly game," he said, when asked if he had been given information by Hongkong authorities about the international drug rings which send hundreds of millions of dollars through Hongkong into America.
When asked if American narcotics agents knew the identities of the “Mr Bigs" of the drug trade, Mr Ingersol said: "It would be inappropriate for me to answer that question.
"I wouldn't even answer that in front of a Congressional Investigative Committee.”
Mr Ingersol is America's top fighter in the war against narcotics.
He is a squat, tough, thick-set and determined looking man with a ready smile who had his hand on his hotel door room as he skilfully refused to answer questions about just what he is doing in Hongkong.
Even more tightlipped than Mr Ingersol was the top British expert in Hongkong yesterday for the narcotics summit meeting.
He is the British politician. Mr J. G. Train, Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office.
In answer to many questions, Mr Train said:
"No comment.
"I cannot answer that.
"It is inappropriate for you to ask me that question.
"I have absolutely nothing to say."
Mr Train refused even to admit that he was the highest-ranking representative of the British Government in Hongkong for the secret talks with American and Hongkong officials here to smash the international drug trade -'which is flooding both Britain and America with thousands of millions of dollars worth of heroin.
Despite the secrecy, I learned yesterday that Mr Ingersol is heading a major American cifort to get more effective action in the Colony against the Chiu Chow drug racketeers who control the international narcotics rings.
American sources said they were "not happy" with the way in which the Colony was tackling the heroin bandits.
Members of the British team include Commander R. Huntley of Scotland Yard, and Mr D. Jordan of British Customs two men
—
who are stamping out the drugs trade in Britain.
On the American side, Mr Ingersol is assisted by experts from throughout Southeast Asia and undercover agents of the American Government who have been stationed in the region for many years.
When they refused to discuss details of the meeting last night, both Mr Ingersol and Mr Train said all questions had to be answered by the Hongkong Government.
A Government spokesman last night refused to discuss questions concerning the secret drug conference in Hongkong and said they were matters for Whitehall and Washington.
The official said he had no comment to make about the international narcotics trade.
American and British officials had told reporters to contact Hongkong officials; Hongkong officials told reporters to contact British and American officials; British and American officials told reporters to contact Hongkong officials....