285
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 160912Z MAR 79
TO IMMEDIATE SINGAPORE
HKK 843/1
RALLIVEJ &
1 6 MAR 1979
INDEX
PA
По
Jo.
490
TELEGRAM NUMBER 11 OF 16 MARCH 1979
INFO IMMEDIATE TOKYO, PRIORITY FCO, MANILA, KUALA LUMPUR, JAKARTA,
BANGKOK, WASHINGTON.
INFO SAVING TO HANOI AND CANBERRA.
YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 109 TO F.C.O. - TOMI MARU 11.
1. THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUICK REACTION. WE CAN ONLY HOPE THAT
THE SINGAPOREANS WILL SCARE THE ORGANISERS.
2. IT HAS OCCURRED TO US THAT FROM THE TRAFFICKERS' POINT OF VIEW THE TUG AND BARGE CONCEPT HAS GREAT ADVANTAGE IN THAT ONCE THE VESSELS ARE NEARING HONG KONG WATERS THE TUG CAN SLIP THE TOWLINE
AND MAKE OFF, POSSIBLY RADIOING HONG KONG ALLEGING THAT THE CABLE HAS FOR SOME PLAUSIBLE REASON PARTED. THIS WOULD LEAVE THE BARGE ADRIFT WITH UP TO THREE THOUSAND MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN ON BOARD A HONG KONG THE NEAREST HARBOUR. THE MASTER AND CREW OF THE TUG COMPLETE WITH THE GOLD THUS GET AWAY SCOT FREE, ESCAPING THE RETRIBUTION WHICH WE HOPE TO EXACT IN THE CASE OF THE HUEY FONG AND SKYLUCK AND WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN A DETERRENT TO THE LUCKY
DRAGON.
3. IT IS THEREFORE ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT TO PREVENT TOMI MARU 11 LEAVING SINGAPORE AS LONG AS THERE IS ANY SUSPICION THAT IT IS INVOLVED IN REFUGEE TRAFFICKING. AS THE SHIP IS JAPANESE REGISTERED THIS TELEGRAM, TOGETHER WITH THE TWO RELEVANT TELEGRAMS (HONG KONG TO FCO TELNO 372 AND SINGAPORE TO FCO TELNO 109) ARE BEING COPIED TO TOKYO IN THE HOPE THAT ANY DETERRENT ACTION POSSIBLE THERE E.G. WITH THE JAPANESE DEPARTMENT OF MARINE) WILL BE TAKEN.
MACLEHOSE
SENT ALSOBY BAG TO SINGAPORE, TOKYO, MANILA I KUALA LUMPUR, JAKARTA, BANGKOK AND WASHINGTON
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