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NFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 2211372 FEB 79
TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE HER243/
TELNO.317 OF 22 FEBRUARY,
INFO PRIORITY: UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON,
ROUTINE : HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDOM, E
51
23 FEB 1979
No £23.2.
YOUR TELNO.174 (NOT TO ALL): VIETNAMESE REFUGEES,
1. THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNT OF LOCAL INVESTIGATIONS CONCERNING GRGANISED TRAFFIC IN REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM COVERS BOTH FACTUAL POINTS (PARAS 2 TO 5) AND FURTHER BACKGROUND OBTAINED IN THE COURSE OF POLICE ENQUIRIES (PARAS 6 TO 9), THE FORMER CAN BE USED PUBLICLY WITH NO RESTRICTIONS. PARAS 6 TO 9 MAY BE USED ON A NON-ATTRIBUTABLE BASIS WITH RELIABLE CONTACTS.
2. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S MARINE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A RAD:0 MESSAGE FROM THE HUEY FONG ON 18 DECEMBER IN WHICH THE MASTER CLAIMED THAT HE HAD RESCUED A LARGE NUMBER OF REFUGEES AT SEA OFF VIETNAM. (THE SHIP WAS THEN OVER 1,000 MILES FROM HONG KONG), HE WAS TOLD THAT IF URGENT SUPPLIES OR MEDICAL ATTENTION WERE NEEDED HE SHOULD PROCEED TO THE NEAREST PORT SEMI-COLON AND THAT HE SHOULD NOT COME TO HONG KONG., THE MASTER DISREGARDED THESE. INSTRUCTIONS AND ON 23 DECEMBER ANCHORED SOUTH OF PO TO ISLAND, JUST OUTSIDE HONG KONG WATERS. THE MASTER WAS REPEATEDLY TOLD THAT HE SHOULD PROCEED TO HIS SCHEDULED FIRST PORT OF CALL, KAOHSIUNG IN TAIWAN, HE DID NOT DO SO AND ON 19 JANUARY HE SAILED INTO HONG KONG WATERS WITHOUT PERMISSION.
3. DISEMBARKATION OF THE 3318 PASSENGERS ON BOARD THE HUEY FONG WAS CARRIED OUT BETWEEN 20 AND 23 JANUARY. ON THE AFTERNOON OF 23 JANUARY THREE FAMILIES WERE DETAINED WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THEY WERE CARRYING APPROXIMATELY H.K DOLLARS ONE POINT FIVE MILLION IN THIN GOLD LEAF. DURING A (THIRD) SEARCH OF THE ENGINE ROOM ON 7 FEBRUARY THE POLICE DISCOVERED APPROXIMATELY N.K DOLLARS FIVE MILLION IN GOLD LEAF CONCEALED IN A DISUSED FUEL TANK BENEATH THE PROPELLER SHAFT. IT IS BELIEVED THAT ALL THE GOLD ON BOARD
THE VESSEL HAS NOW BEEN RECOVERED.
CONFIDENTIAL
/4. POLICE