PUBLIC ORDER
250
Narcotics
A significant increase was seen in the trafficking of methylamphetamine (or 'Ice' as it is more commonly known), through Hong Kong from China.
Some 183.94 kilograms of opiate drugs, comprising opium, and No. 3 and 4 heroin, were seized, compared with 265 kilograms in 1990. There were 7688 arrests for narcotics offences compared with 7 600 in the previous year.
The Drug Trafficking (Recovery of Proceeds) Ordinance 1989, which provides for the restraint and confiscation of assets of convicted drug traffickers, took effect in September 1989, resulting in the freezing of $269,922,052 of drug-related assets. The Drug Trafficking (Recovery of Proceeds) (Designated Countries and Territories) Order 1991 allows countries which have entered into bilateral agreements with Hong Kong to use the powers of the ordinance in reciprocal confiscation. Designated countries include the USA, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Crime Prevention
The Crime Prevention Bureau continued to promote all aspects of crime prevention through publicity and advice to the community.
Constructive liaison between the bureau and the insurance and motor vehicle industries resulted in the introduction of effective measures to curtail the disposal of stolen vehicles, reduce insurance fraud and increase public awareness of the need for vehicle protection.
Crime prevention education targetted at young people continued through the use of the 'Robotcop' (a computerised robot), which appeared in over 200 displays in schools, community youth centres, shopping arcades and exhibitions throughout the year. Publicity campaigns, seminars, exhibitions and inspection of premises at risk were on-going exercises.
Crime Information
The Enhanced Police Operational Nominal Index Computer System came into operation in March 1991. The system is operated and maintained by the Criminal Records Bureau and provides on-line information to operational police formations. During 1991, the system dealt with 2 553 094 enquiries.
The Identification Bureau continued to play an important role in crime investigation and detection by providing services to all units of the force in relation to fingerprint technology and forensic photography.
Computerisation of 182 000 scenes of crime fingerprint records was completed and the system became fully operational in May 1991. A total of 406 fingerprint identifications was achieved in 1991 by this system.
During the year, examination of finger, palm and sole print traces at 24 406 crime scenes resulted in 1 072 persons being identified as having connection with 1 158 cases.
The Main Fingerprint Collection has 753 726 sets of fingerprints of convicted persons. In 1991, 95 420 arrested persons' fingerprints were processed and 35 093 persons were identified as having previous convictions.
Ballistics and Firearms Identification
The Ballistics and Firearms Identification Bureau handled 344 cases in 1991 compared with 376 in 1990.