CONFIDENTIAL
1570
MDHIAN 8281
I
EMPIRES HEADED BY THE INFAMOUS JOHNNY KON YU-LEUNG AND LAI KING- MAN. THEIR SUPPLY LINES FROM SOUTH EAST ASIA HAD BEEN FOLLOWED ALL THE WAY TO THE US, THEIR DISTRIBUTION NETWORK TRACED AND THEIR MONEY LAUNDERING SCHEMES IDENTIFIED. A RECENT JOINT INVESTIGATION, CODE NAMED ''BAMBOO DRAGON RESULTED IN THE SEIZURE OF 36 KG. OF HIGH-GRADE HEROIN, AN ARSENAL OF FIREARMS AND HUGE SUMS OF MONEY, TOGETHER WITH THE ARREST OF 11 MAJOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS. FOUR OF THOSE APPREHENDED HAVE BEEN EXTRADITED TO THE US AND THE REMAINING SEVEN ARE TO BE TRIED IN HONG KONG. ANOTHER JOINT OPERATION IN MAY 1988 SMASHED A HONG KONG BASED SYNDICATE FOR EXPORT OF DRUGS TO THE US VIA JAPAN, WITH TEN HONG KONG RESIDENTS ARRESTED IN JAPAN AND THAILAND AND 11.95 KG. OF NO. 4 HEROIN SEIZED. THE SUCCESSFUL NEUTRAL- ISATION OF THE DENIS HOWARD MARKS INTERNATIONAL DRUG TRAFFICKING RING HAS EXEMPLIFIED THE EFFICACIOUS COOPERATION EXISTING BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE US. A TASK FORCE COMPRISING EXPERTS FROM THE US, UK AND HONG KONG IS STILL ANALYSING THE VAST RAMIFICATIONS OF THIS SYNDICATE'S FINANCIAL DEALINGS AND MONEY LAUNDERING ACTIVITIES BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE WEST.
(D) MONITORING TARGETS IN HONG KONG
THE HONG KONG AGENCIES COMPLY, WHEREVER POSSIBLE, WITH REQUESTS TO MONITOR TARGET PERSONALITIES. THE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED INCLUDES THE TRACING OF ACCOMMODATION, TRAVELLING COMPANIONS AND ANSWERING MINOR ENQUIRIES, UP TO FULL SURVEILLANCE OPERATIONS. CURRENTLY THE HONG KONG AGENCIES ARE
MONITORING ON BEHALF OF DEA THE MOVEMENTS OF 46 TARGET PERSONALITIES, 25 SMALL CRAFT AND A VESSEL.
(E) ARRESTS AND EXTRADITIONS
US REQUESTS
TO ARREST AND EXTRADITE DRUG FUGITIVES WHO ARE
IN HONG KONG ARE DEALT WITH EXPEDITIOUSLY AND EFFICIENTLY.
BETWEEN 1985 AND 1987 THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S CHAMBERS SPECIALIST EXTRADITION UNIT WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE HONG KONG POLICE SUCCESSFULLY DEALT WITH 15 EXTRADITION REQUESTS RELATED TO DANGEROUS DRUG OFFENCES (8 OF THESE WERE FROM THE US INVOLVING SOME 11 DEFENDANTS). THE 1988 FIGURS ALREADY SHOW A MARKED
INCREASE IN SUCH REQUESTS FROM THE US BOTH AS REGARDS CASES IN
PROGRESS AND FOR PROVISIONAL WARRANTS OF ARREST.
(F) CONTACTS AND VISITS