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101545 MDLIAN 7. J
PROVISIONING. IN ONE RECENT CASE, THE US CONSULATE-GENERAL ASKED US TO INVESTIGATE A RECENTLY-ARRIVED VESSEL, THE M.V. RAMAGO, SUSPECTED OF HAVING BEEN USED TO SMUGGLE IIS. OUR INSPECTORS FOUND SIGNS OF INTERNAL STRUCTURAL MODIFICATIONS SUGGESTING THAT THE SHIP MAY AT ONE TIME HAVE BEEN FITTED OUT FOR THIS PURPOSE. THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO TAKE CRIMINAL ACTION, THOUGH AT US REQUEST WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DETAIN THE SHIP FOR SINCE ITS ARRIVAL ON 24 JUNE ON SAFETY AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES. ONCE THESE HAVE BEEN RESOLVED, WE WILL HAVE NO LEGAL BASIS TO HOLD THE RAMAGO ANY LONGER. WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN TO INFORM THE US CONSULATE-GENERAL WHEN IT IS FREE TO DEPART.
5.
WE
MORE GENERALLY, DESPITE CONSIDERABLE INVESTIGATIVE EFFORT, WE HAVE NOT SO FAR IDENTIFIED ANY SYSTEMATIC HONG KONG ROLE IN THE TRAFFICKING. BUT, GIVEN HONG KONG'S LOCATION, MARITIME FACILITIES, AND THE PRESENCE HERE OF TRIAD ORGANISATIONS, IT WOULD BE SURPRISING IF THERE WERE NO SIGNIFICANT HONG KONG CONNECTION. CONTINUE TO PURSUE LEADS THAT ARISE. BUT, AS THE US CONSULATE GENERAL ACKNOWLEDGES, WE RELY HEAVILY ON INTELLIGENCE WHICH THEY PASS TO US. WE INVARIABLY FOLLOW THIS UP RAPIDLY AND THOROUGHLY. WE ARE IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH THEM AT OPERATIONAL LEVEL, AND CO- OPERATION IS GOOD.
BUT THE GROWING US CONCERN IS UNDERSTANDABLE, GIVEN THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM. I AM ANXIOUS TO ENSURE THAT THOSE IN WASHINGTON DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM CONTINUE TO APPRECIATE OUR COMMITMENT TO HELP (WITHIN THE LIMITS OF HONG KONG LAW). WASHINGTON MAY THEREFORE WISH TO DRAW AS APPROPRIATE ON THE ABOVE WHEN DISCUSSING THIS ISSUE WITH SENIOR CONTACTS.
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