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PUBLIC ORDER
The district and divisional units concentrate on triad and organised criminal activity within their boundaries. During the year, 1,766 people were arrested for triad-related offences.
Following the introduction of new gambling laws in February, 1977, the incidence of illegal gambling fell sharply, particularly casino gambling and off-course book- making. Raids on illegal gambling establishments resulted in the arrest of 13,522 people and the seizure of $863,821.
Police action was intensified against all types of vice establishments. Many were forced out of business while others adopted a low profile and operated under the guise of legitimate business. Some 3,593 people were charged with prostitution and related offences.
Special Crimes Bureau
The charter of the Special Crimes Bureau was widened during the year to include the investigation of all robberies involving the use of firearms and burglaries in which property in excess of $250,000 is stolen. This extra responsibility led to the strength of the bureau being increased from 43 to 111 personnel, including civilians.
The number of armed robberies totalled 24, compared with 57 in 1976. Some 167 serious crimes were solved, 48 people were arrested on 126 charges and 18 firearms, including imitation firearms, were seized. Notable successes included the seizure of forged United States currency with a face value of $4.2 million and the solving of five cases of police revolver-snatching.
Homicide Bureau
The Homicide Bureau completed investigations into 11 complex or lengthy cases during the year.
Commercial Crime Bureau
The Commercial Crime Bureau was expanded in January, 1977, to further investiga- tions into large-scale frauds involving public companies whose shares were floated during the 1972-3 stock market boom. The expansion also provides for more speedy and efficient handling of any breaches of the law that might concern both local and international companies, banks and the investing public.
The Counterfeit and Forgery Section of the bureau met with considerable success throughout the year. Four large seizures were made of forged United States and Malaysian currency with a face value of almost $4 million. In two of these cases, equipment used for printing the notes also was recovered.
Narcotics Bureau
After eliminating several major drug trafficking syndicates between 1974–6, the Narcotics Bureau followed up in 1977 with seizures from among the 'opportunist' groups that formed to fill the vacuum in the illicit trade. The year saw police seize 38 kilograms of opium, 13.8 kilograms of morphine, 86.4 kilograms of heroin and 1.9 kilograms of other drugs.
Drug traffickers have become more cautious and security conscious, and street- level operators, in the main, sell only to known customers. Importers are bringing