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CONFIDENTIAL
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Page No. 2 of 4 pages
about 900 CCA troops on border duty were replaced by new recruits on or about
8 January, resulting in comparatively high arrests on the Hong Kong side of the
land border. Within a matter of days, however, the number of arrests on the land
border dropped and Bay arrests rose again, also probably associated with CCA
rotation, when the less efficient Municipal Militia were deployed in the Deep
Bay area. Overall, the combined total of land and bay crosser arrests was
considerably less than in recent months. This is thought to be attributable to
a combination of the increased anti-escape and travel control measures on land;
increased Chinese marine patrols activity in the Bays; the reported deterrent
effect of the Marine Police Special Boat Unit; and a "wait and see" attitude
on the part of potential IIS, who are biding their time until the effects of
these measures and the new punishment policy become apparent.
Sea Crossers
4.
Boat arrivals from both the Pearl River and North East continued
throughout January and comprised 57% of the total number of IIs arrested.
This
was despite a reported increase in the number of Chinese patrol vessels deployed
in the West (the Pearl River Estuary and Deep Bay), to the East (Mirs Bay) and along
the coast to the North East of Hong Kong. More than 30 vessels are now reportedly
deployed in these three areas. There have also been reports of increased anti-escape measures on land in the coastal areas to prevent the theft or unauthorised use of fishing boats for escape attempts. Escape by boat has always been
popular (because it was considered to be quicker and easier, could move family groups and was more likely to succeed), but this method has been used even more lately with an increase in organised escape activity particularly in Dongguan (c. Tung Kun) County, where there has been reported low-level cadre involvement. It is said that the Provincial and Dongguan County PS Bureaux are currently conducting a joint investigation, including enquiry into an attack on members of a
County PS team which had been following up one such escape attempt. It has been reported that there is now a scarcity of boats, in Haifeng (c. Hoi Fung) and Lufeng
(c. Luk Fung) Counties and that there are increased anti-escape measures on
land there too. This, combined with unfavourable wind and tide conditions,
has made escape by boat from these areas more difficult, a fact reflected
in the number of arrivals from there during January. No further boats arrived
from Fujian Province during the month.
CONFIDENTIAL
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