CONFIDENTIAL
1567-
MDHIAN 8281
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES THAT THE PROBLEM OF DRUG ABUSE, PARTICULARLY ILLICIT TRAFFICKING, HAS NO NATIONAL BOUNDARIES, HENCE
CLOSE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IS REQUIRED NOTABLY UNDER THE
SINGLE CONVENTION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS 1961 AND THE 1972 PROTOCOL.
HONG KONG PARTICIPATES IN MANY ACTIVITIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS
COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS. SINCE 1974 IT HAS REGULARLY ATTENDED, AS PART OF THE UK DELEGATION, THE ANNUAL SESSIONS OF THE COMMISSION. HONG KONG CONTRIBUTED TO THE SETTING UP OF THE MEETING OF THE HEADS OF NATIONAL DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES (HONLEA), ASIA AND THE
PACIFIC REGION AND HAS PARTICIPATED IN IT SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN
1974.
HONG KONG ALSO PARTICIPATES IN AND CONTRIBUTES
SIGNIFICANTLY TO MANY REGIONAL TRAINING COURSES, CONFERENCES, SEMINARS AND WORKSHIPS ON ANTI-DRUG MATTERS. HONG KONG CONTRIBUTES HK DOLLARS110,000 EACH YEAR TO THE UNITED NATIONS FUND FOR DRUG ABUSE CONTROL.
APART FROM PARTICIPATION IN FORMAL INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL ACTIVITIES, THERE ARE NUMEROUS AND FREQUENT INFORMAL CONTACTS BETWEEN THE NARCOTICS DIVISION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN HONG KONG AND ANTI-DRUG PERSONNEL OF OTHER GOVERNMENTS AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS. EACH YEAR OVER 150 OVERSEAS VISITORS ARE BRIEFED BY THE NARCOTICS DIVISION AND OTHER AGENCIES. ALSO COMMONWEALTH COMMISSIONS AND FOREIGN CONSULATES ARE REGULARLY BRIEFED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS.
THE POLICE, THROUGH INTERPOL, CLOSELY COOPERATE WITH OTHER POLICE FORCES. THE NARCOTICS BUREAU OF THE HONG KONG POLICE HAS AN OPERATIONAL SECTIONS DEDICATED TO THE INVESTIGATION OF DRUG TRAFFICKING ON AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE. THE HONG KONG CUSTOMS IS A MEMBER OF THE CUSTOMS COOPERATION COUNCIL AND PARTICIPATES IN THE COUNCIL'S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC (ESCAP) REGIONAL TRIAL PROJECT, WHICH ESTABLISHED A REGIONAL LIAISON OFFICE IN DECEMBER 1987. THE HONG KONG CUSTOMS HAS TAKEN THE LEAD IN THE PROJECT BY BEING THE FIRST HOST OF THE REGIONAL LIAISON OFFICE. THERE ARE ALSO CONSTANT EXCHANGES AND VISITS BETWEEN KEY PERSONNEL OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND OTHER GOVERNMENTS. SUCH CLOSE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, PARTICULARLY WITH THE US HAS BROUGHT ABOUT SIGNIFICANT SUCCESSES IN RECENT YEARS IN CURBING INTERNATIONAL ILLICIT DRUG TRAFFICKING.
WILSON
PAGE
4
CONFIDENTIAL