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penalties to combat illegal gambling and to deter the
advertising of brothels were enacted. New legislation, to
be published for public consultation during 1991, is being
drafted to provide for heavy sentences for convicted members
of crime syndicates.
58. Several major international drug trafficking syndicates
were broken up during the year, and over $240 million were
seized under the asset seizure legislation enacted in 1989.
Record seizures of cannabis were also made.
59. Arrangements for mutual legal assistance in the
investigation of drug trafficking and money laundering and
the seizure of drug traffickers' assets were negotiated with
three foreign jurisdictions and the United Kingdom. Hong
Kong also joined the OECD Financial Action Task Force formed
to combat money laundering.
60. At the same time that laws were toughened up to combat
serious crime, steps were taken to abolish corporal punishment. As a result, all forms of corporal punishment
were removed from the statute books during 1990.
61. Job and economic opportunities in Hong Kong continued
to attract large numbers of illegal immigrants from China.
In 1990 a total of 27,826 illegal immigrants were
apprehended, compared with 15,841 in 1989. Of particular
concern was the increase in the number of illegal immigrants found working on construction sites.
62.
In November, the Hong Kong Government increased the
penalties for those who knowingly employed illegal
immigrants, and introduced a new offence for main
contractors who allowed illegal immigrants to be present on
construction sites. As these measures take effect, the
number of illegal immigrants arrested and imprisoned is
expected to decline in the course of 1991. Given that
illegal immigrants constitute 37 per cent of the prison
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