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45. Investigation revealed that this opium formed the major part of a consignment of narcotics which had arrived in the Colony about 8 days previously, and it is believed that the opium had been 'hijacked' by the junk operator. The remainder of the consignment was landed at Basalt Island and discovered by Preventive Service officers on 18th August (paragraph 54 refers).
46. This represented the largest seizure of opium to have been made during the period under review.
(H/MRB/729/76)
47. On 15th August, 1976, acting on information, Preventive Service officers conducted a search of Swire Air Caterers Ltd., Hong Kong Airport. Concealed inside a metal meal container the officers discovered 4 paper parcels containing 9 blocks of morphine and a small quantity of No. 3 heroin. The seizure comprised 12.507 kilogrammes of a mixture containing 9.7513 kilogrammes of a salt of morphine, and 937.5 grammes of a mixture containing 252.5 grammes of salts of esters of morphine. No arrest was made in connection with the seizure.
(PS/101/263/76)
of
48. On 16th August, 1976, Chinese males CHENG Hoi-tong (6774/3189/2768) and Yiu Sun- cheung (1202/2450/4382) arrived at Hong Kong Airport from Bangkok. A body search by Preventive Service officers revealed a total of 6.4045 kilogrammes of a mixture containing 3.1906 kilogrammes salts of esters of morphine (No. 3 heroin), and 145.6 grammes of strychnine hydrochloride tied around their waists and calves. CHENG and Yiu were charged with Trafficking In A Dangerous Drug and Unlawful Possession Of A Part I Poison and have been committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court.
49. Strychnine hydrochloride is a chemical used in the illicit manufacture of heroin.
(PS/109/77-78/76)
50. On 17th August, 1976, the Narcotics Bureau received information that a group of drug traffickers had acquired a quantity of morphine blocks which had recently been imported from Bangkok, and were searching for prospective customers. It was decided to 'purchase' the morphine using Narcotics Bureau officers as the buyer and his courier. The officers were able to penetrate the and complex arrangements were made for the purchase.
group
51. By the morning of 18th August, the drugs had been inspected by the ‘buyer' and the traffickers were persuaded to take the morphine to the Pearl City Restaurant, Causeway Bay, where the trans- action would be completed. On their arrival outside the Restaurant they were ambushed and arrested by Narcotics Bureau officers, and the morphine blocks which they had in their possession were seized. The seizure comprised 8.9738 kilogrammes of a mixture containing 6.9049 kilogrammes of a salt of morphine.
52. Three Chinese males were arrested in connection with the seizure. CHAN Chung-chuen (7115/2646/3123), Tam Kwok-sui (6151/0948/3843) and CHAN Cho-wing (7115/2806/2837) were charged with Conspiracy To Traffic In A Dangerous Drug and Possession Of Dangerous Drugs For The Purpose Of Unlawful Trafficking.
One of them
53. A number of follow-up raids were carried out as a result of this seizure. resulted in the discovery of 1.0015 kilogrammes of a mixture containing 0.7714 kilogramme of a salt of morphine in room 725, Chi Mei House, Choi Hung Estate, Kowloon. Chinese female Ma Sau-yung (7456/4423/1369) was arrested in the premises and charged with Possession Of Dangerous Drugs For The Purpose Of Unlawful Trafficking. CHAN Chung-chuen was charged with an additional count of Possession Of Dangerous Drugs For The Purpose Of Unlawful Trafficking in respect of this seizure. CHAN Chung-chuen, TAM Kwok-sui and CHAN Cho-wing were found guilty as charged and each sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment. MA Sau-yung was found guilty of Possession of Dangerous Drugs and sentenced to 4 years' imprisonment.
(Wch/CR/2647-8/76) (WTS/CR/3242/76)
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