RESTRICTED
AMONG THE GROUP WAS A ''HIGH-RANKING VIETNAM OFFICIAL".
ANOTHER MAN FREQUENTLY MENTIONED IN EVIDENCE ABOUT THE VIETNAM END OF THE OPERATION ''UNCLE KWONG'', OR KWONG SHUK IS
SAID TO HAVE BEEN A ''POWERFUL FIGURE'' IN WESTERN VIETNAM, WITH A RECORD OF HAVING ACTED AS A VIET CONG PAYMASTER IN
''PRE-LIBERATION DAYS''. THE 11 DEFENDANTS IN THE TRIAL INCLUDE THE CAPTAIN OF THE HUEY FONG, HSU WEN-HSIN, AND THREE OF THE SHIP'S OFFICERS, ALONG WITH THREE HONK KONG BASED BUSINESSMEN’. ALL ELEVN ARE ACCUSED OF CONSPIRING TO BRING REFUGEES INTO HONG KONG ILLEGALLY. THE MASTER AND HIS THREE-FELLOW-OFFICERS HAVE PLEADED GUILTY: THE OTHERS DENY THE CHARGE, WHICH RELATES TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE HUEY FONG OFF HONG KONG WITH A CARGO'' OF 3,318 REFUGEES JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
6. NOT APPEARING IN THE DOCK, BUT FEATURING AS A KEY PROSECUTION WITNESS AFTER BEING GRANTED IMMUNITY, IS ANOTHER BUSINESSMAN'' KWOK WAH-LEUNG, ALSO REFERRED TO AS ''KWOK THE DWARF''. HE HAS GIVEN WEEK-LONG TESTIMONY ON HOW, IN LIAISON WITH THE VIETNAM AUTHORITIES CR THEIR REPRESENTATIVES, HE ARRANGED WITH A TAIWAN SHIPPING COMPANY FOR THE HUEY FONG TO BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE
OPERATION.
7. THE EXTENT OF THE VIETNAM GOVERNMENT'S FINANCIAL STAKE IN THE ENTERPRISE BECAME APPARENT WHEN CROWN COUNSEL PETER DUNCAN OPENED THE CASE FOR THE PROSECUTION ON JUNE 7TH.
3. OUTLINING THE STORY OF THE HUEY FONG'S 'JOURNEY OF DECEIT", HE SAID THAT THE VIETNAMESE REGIME ALLOWED THE REFUGEES TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY ON PAYMENT OF 12 TAELS OF GOLD EACH, WITH 10 OF THESE TAELS GOING TO THE AUTHORITIES AND THE OTHER TWO EAR-
MARKED FOR FINANCING OF THE VOYAGE.
9. WITH THE TAEL AT THAT TIME BEING WORTH MORE THAN £100 (ONE HUNDRED STERLING) IT CAN BE CALCULATED THAT THE VIETNAM GOVERNMENT STOOD TO MAKE £2 MILLION FROM THIS CONSIGNMENT'', OVER AND ABOVE CONFISCATION OF PROPERTY AND OTHER EXACTIONS.
13. MR DUNCAN ALSO DESCRIBED HOW, IN CONSPIRING TO PRETEND THAT THE HUEY FONG WOULD PICK UP THE REFUGEES AS PEOPLE IN DISTRESS AND SOME OF THE ACCUSED WORKED OUT A CODE FOR USE IN TELEPHONE AND CABLE COMMUNICATIONS.
2 RESTRICTED
/11.PASSENGERS
A