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which resulted in 143 persons being charged. In addition, as an offshoot of the division's activities in this field, 797 pornographic video tapes were seized and 23 persons charged with offences under the Objectionable Publications Ordinance.
The department is also responsible for protecting industrial property rights. It inves- tigates false and misleading trade marks and descriptions of commercial goods under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, and infringements of industrial design copyright under the Copyright Ordinance. During the year, the Trading Standards Investigation Bureau and the Copyright Division made 1 326 investigations, resulting in 1 400 persons being charged with offences under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance and the Copyright Ordinance. Fines totalled $5.5 million and prison sentences were imposed.
Independent Commission Against Corruption
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), which is in its 14th year, con- tinued its fight against corruption in Hong Kong during the year by devoting considerable attention to the private sector. Its growing international reputation in anti-corruption methods was further enhanced when it hosted the Third International Anti-Corruption Conference in November.
To improve its effectiveness, the commission introduced amendments to two of the ordinances under which it operates - Prevention of Bribery (Amendment) Bill 1987 and Independent Commission Against Corruption (Amendment) Bill 1987. Both amendments were passed into law by the Legislative Council in July.
The ICAC is independent of the Civil Service and the Commissioner is directly responsible to the Governor. The Advisory Committee on Corruption, consisting of leading citizens and senior government officials, provides guidance on policy matters concerning staffing, financial estimates, administration and other aspects of the commis- sion's work. Each of the three functional departments of the commission, dealing with operations, corruption prevention and community relations, is also guided by an advisory body with members drawn from various sectors of the community and public service. All complaints against the commission and its staff are handled by a complaints committee, which comprises five members of the Executive and Legislative councils and a law officer. A total of 19 such complaints received during the year were thoroughly investigated.
Operations
The Operations Department investigates all reports of suspected offences under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance, the ICAC Ordinance and the Corrupt and Illegal Practices Ordinance.
The Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and the ICAC Ordinance were amended in 1987 to enhance the department's powers to investigate corruption offences and to impose additional penalties on public servants convicted of offences of maintaining a standard of living above that commensurate with, or being in control of pecuniary resources or property disproportionate to, present or past emoluments.
During the year, the department received 2 299 corruption reports. Of these 742 were made by members of the public in person, 915 by telephone and 450 by letter, and 192 were received from government departments. Of these reports, 66 per cent were made by persons prepared to identify themselves.
Large-scale commercial fraud facilitated by corruption continued to demand the deployment of large numbers of investigators, many of whom travelled extensively to investigate and bring to justice offenders who had fled from Hong Kong. To facilitate such