CONFIDENTAL
257
(256
GRS 400
COIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 101955Z DEC 79
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1733 OF 10 DECEMBER
HKK 34111
d01:
INFO PRIORITY FEKING, MODUK (DS11), ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, WASHINGTON.
11 DEC1979
MY TELNO 1725 (PARA 6): ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM CHINA.
A
"Nil
See (260
7 DECEMBER IN 1. THERE WERE 3 SEPARATE INCIDENTS BETWEEN 5 WHICH MARINE POLICE WERE ATTACKED WHILE INVESTIGATING SUSPECT VESSELS AFTER DARK. THE INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN WATERS TO THE WEST OF HONG KONG AND INVOLVED MOTORISED JUNKS, ALMOST CERTAINLY
FROM THE PEARL RIVER AREA.
2. THE FIRST, ON 5 DECEMBER, TOOK PLACE WHEN MARINE POLICE FROM THE SMALL BOAT UNIT WERE REPELLED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BOARD. THEY WERE ATTACKED WITH POLES, STONES AND CHOPPERS. THREE WERE INJURED, ONE NEEDING HOSPITAL TREATMENT. THE POLICE FIRED A TOTAL OF FOUR SHOTS IN SELF DEFENCE. THE VESSEL ESCAPED.
3. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS ON 7 DECEMBER. A POLICE LAUNCH WHICH
HAD GONE TO THE ASSISTANCE OF POLICE SMALL BOATS WAS RAMMED BY THE SUSPECT VESSEL. THE POLICE BOARDING PARTY WAS RESISTED WITH BRICKS AND POLES BUT THE VESSEL WAS EVENUTALLY DETAINED AND THE 98 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ON BOARD ARRESTED. THE IMMIGRANTS HAVE SINCE BEEN REPATRIATED.
4. THE THIRD AND MOST SERIOUS INCIDENT CCCURRED LATER ON 7 DECEMBER. TWO BOATS OF THE SMALL BOAT UNIT INTERCEPTED A 60 FOOT VESSEL, WHICH REFUSED TO STOP. THE POLICE ATTEMPTED TO BOARD AND WERE ATTACKED WITH POLES AND PLANKS. TWO FISH BOMBS WERE THROWN AT THE POLICE BOATS BUT DID NOT EXPLODE. THE SUSPECT VESSEL THEN ATTEMPTED TO RAM ONE OF THE POLICE BOATS: TO PREVENT THIS THE POLICE FIRED TWO BURSTS OF SUB-MACHING
GUN FIR TOTALLING 20 ROUNDS. THE VESSEL THEN MADE OFF OUT OF HONG KONG WATERS.
5. IN ALL THREE INCIDENTS THE POLICE CRAFT INITIALLY INVOLVED WERE SMALL BOATS. WE HAVE NOW ENSURED THAT BIGGER MARINE POLICE
CONFIDENTAL
/ LAUNCHES