Introduction
Although it is not certain when heroin first became available in Hong Kong its abuse was recognised as a problem some 50 years ago. In those days heroin was sold on the illicit market in the form of heroin pills. These pills were soon followed, but never entirely replaced, by the now familiar forms of heroin referred to as No. 3 and No. 4.
The escalation of the heroin problem in the early 1950s was attributed mainly to the influx of refugees from Shanghai. They included not only a large number of heroin users but also several experienced heroin chemists. The Hong Kong Government soon recognised the threat that was develop- ing and a centralised Narcotics Bureau was formed in 1954 to collect and collate intelligence and co-ordinate strategic action against the narcotics trade.
This booklet seeks to consolidate the information available in Hong Kong on heroin, with particular reference to illicit heroin manufacture. It also provides details of the manufacturing process and, as such, its confidentiality must be preserved. We have tried to outline factors which are common to all heroin factories discovered in Hong Kong and to offer advice and assist- ance to enforcement authorities who are or may be engaged in neutralising a heroin factory. Similar publications were compiled by the Narcotics Bureau in 1966 and 1973 which are now up- dated and expanded. In addition, a section is devoted to the illicit manu- facture of acetic anhydride, an essen- tial chemical in the manufacture of
heroin.
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