IN CONFIDENCE
Prices (All expressed in Hong Kong Dollars).
14. The following were the average prices of drugs on the wholesale illicit market during the period under review :-
Opium (raw)
Opium (prepared)
Morphine
Salts of Esters of Morphine
1st Grade (No. 4)
2nd Grade (No. 3)
:
$
192 (121) per 100 gms.
$
488 (240) per 100 gms.
$12,540 (9,203) per kilo.
$ 3,379 (3,014) per 100 gms.
$ 1,540 (1,090) per 100 gms.
(Figures in brackets show the average prices for the previous six months).
Preventive Service
15. Between January and June, 1974, 350 ocean-going vessels were searched and guards placed on 213 others to deter the smuggling of narcotics. During the same period a total of 276,658 pieces of incoming cargo and 6,899 postal packets were examined.
CASE SUMMARIES
Manufacture
16. On 15th February, 1974, after extensive enquiries lasting several weeks, officers of the Narcotics Bureau carried out co-ordinated raids which resulted in the neutralization of two heroin refineries. The first refinery was located at a residential flat in Kowloon. The premises were searched and a large quantity of crude heroin in solution and manufacturing equipment including bowls, basins, stirrers, sieves and chemicals was seized from the room where the manufacture had taken place. From a bedroom, 18 blocks of morphine hydrochloride bearing the '999' trade mark and a quantity of No. 3 heroin were seized. From the other rooms of the premises various items of manu- facturing paraphernalia were seized. A man, WONG Lam-tak (7806/2651/1795), 35 years and his wife, CHEUNG Sau-heung (1728/4423/7448), 24 years, found in the premises were arrested. The total seizure in the flat consisted of 19.7989 kilogrammes of a mixture containing 17.3652 kilogrammes of morphine hydrochloride, 249 grammes of a mixture containing 99.6 grammes of salts of esters of morphine, 105 grammes of a mixture containing 68.8 grammes of diacetylmorphine (an ester of morphine), 27.9 litres of a solution containing 11.78 kilogrammes of diacetylmorhpine (an ester of morphine) and 3.61 litres of a solution containing 0.3 grammes of morphine. WONG and CHEUNG were jointly charged with Manufacturing a Dangerous Drug and Possession of Dangerous Drugs for the Purpose of Unlawful Trafficking. The case is still pending.
(KT/CCB/397/74)
17. The second refinery was discovered on a chicken farm in the New Territories. The initial search of the farm was suspended late in the evening of 15th February, 1974, due to failing light conditions. The search was resumed early the next morning with the assistance of a police dog trained to detect morphine. In one of the chicken sheds the dog discovered a secret compartment which contained 43 blocks of morphine hydrochloride bearing the '999' trade mark, a quantity of No. 3 heroin and various items of manufacturing paraphernalia. From other buildings within the farm complex more items of manufacturing equipment were seized. Two men, YEUNG Cho-kau (2799/4371/3808), 43 years and CHIU Man (6392/2429), 56 years, found in the farm were arrested. A woman, TAM Wai-ching (6223/1920/6297), 33 years, the wife of YEUNG, was arrested at her home in Kowloon. Surveillance had previously identified her as being involved in the heroin manufacture. A third man, CHENG Choi-ting (6774/0504/1353), 33 years, was later arrested at Kai Tak Airport when attempting to depart for Bangkok. He also had been previously identified by surveillance. The total seizure of drugs in the farm consisted of 47.8480 kilogrammes of a mixture containing 41.7486 kilogrammes of morphine hydrochloride and 381 grammes of a mixture containing 183.6
3
IN CONFIDENCE