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3. ON ILLEGALS, P.A. SAID THAT THE INITIAL DECLINE IN EARLY
JANUARY HAD BEEN FOLLOWED BY A STEADY UPWARD TREND. ARREST
RATES HAD QUICKLY REACHED LEVEL OF ABOUT 140-150 PER DAY.
THIS HAD CONTINUED INTO THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF FEBRUARY. DURING
THE PKXEVIOUS SEVEN DAYS THE AVERAGE DAILY ARREST RATE HAD BEEN
138. OF THESE 75 HAD CROSSED THE LAND FRONTIER OR THE TWO
ADJACENT BAYS. DURING THE SAME PERIOD THERE HAD BEEN A DISTURBING
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF MOTORIZED BOATS BRINGING ILLEGALS FROM
DONGGUAN COUNTY THREE BOATS CARRYING 328 ILLEGALS. WE HOPED
SPECIAL EFFORTS COULD BE MADE TO CONTROL THE ORGANISED TRAFFIC
FROM THIS SOURCE.
4. NCNA REPEATED THAT CHINA WAS ANXIOUS TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM
OF 'ESCAPERSS' THE TROUBLE WAS THAT THE TENDENCY HAD
BECOME DEEPLY ENTRENCHED AND WAS HARD TO ERADICATE. ON LEGALS
THEY AGREED, SOMEWHAT RELUCTANTLY, THAT 11 MONTHS SEEMED TOO LONG FOR A GENUINE VISIT AND UNDERTOOK TO REPORT WHAT HAD BEEN
SAID.
MACLEHOSE
FILES
HK & GD
FED
SEAD
UND
MR CORTAZZI
MR MURRAY
COPIES TO:
HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE
LONDON
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