IN CONFIDENCE
Introduction
ROYAL HONG
KONG
POLICE
ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE
NARCOTICS BUREAU BULLETIN
2ND HALF 1977
During the period under review there has been a relative shortage of all drugs available to the addict. On occasions, however, monitoring of retail prices has shown them to have dropped sharply, later to recover to their previous high prices. Indications are that these sporadic fluctuations are attributable to successful relatively small-scale importations either through the airport or by ocean-going vessel. No bulk consignment by trawler or junk is known to have entered the Colony.
2 Several instances of 'cutting' down heroin, to increase the bulk, have been detected, further illustrating the uncertainty of supply on the market. No exports of heroin have come to light -- generally it is felt that the supply reaching Hong Kong is barely enough to meet local needs. Exports (of am- phetamines) to Japan have been discovered, and this is thought to be the only drug currently leaving Hong Kong for destinations overseas.
3 By the end of December 1977, registration of addicts at the Government's Methadone Detoxifica- tion Centres stood at 10,638 while at the Maintenance centres 10,552 people were registered. Although the number of persons registering has continued to climb, a small decrease in the attendance of these people has been noted.
Import
4 So far as is known no bulk consignments of drugs by way of Thai fishing trawlers and Hong Kong based junks entered the Colony during 1977. Traffickers place increasing emphasis on small-scale high frequency imports, using groups of seamen and air passengers to import narcotics in luggage or by means of body packs, as well as concealed in otherwise legitimate air freight and other cargo. Although use has been made of the postal services this method of importation is believed to be of relatively low proportions. Notable seizures have been made from ocean-going cargo vessels and 'tramp' steamers. Ingenious hiding places have ranged from inside cattle dung, to prophylactics hidden in bilge water. 5 Diversification in the types of drug being imported into Hong Kong has continued. In addition to raw opium and morphine increasing instances of prepared opium and heroin seizures have been recorded. A number of factors have brought about this change, primarily that these imported narcotics are the finished product, requiring no further refining or preparation, hence the risk of detection at this stage in Hong Kong is eliminated.
Manufacture
6 Security measures taken by traffickers and manufacturers have been greatly improved with the consequence that detection and intelligence gathering have become more difficult than ever. The trend of 'suitcase refineries' has continued -- the difficulties of detection resulting in only one operating refinery being neutralised in November 1977.
7 A disturbing aspect encountered during the year was the discovery of a methyl-amphetamine laboratory in late November - the first case of its kind in Hong Kong. It is believed that the finished product was intended for export to Japan.
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IN CONFIDENCE