PUBLIC ORDER
250
There was a tendency for criminals to flee to China after committing crimes in Hong Kong. However, continued and improving close co-operation between Hong Kong and the mainland police authorities curbed the trend.
Illegal immigrants' involvement in armed robberies in Hong Kong remained significant. These people were generally unfamiliar with the local situation and often collaborated with local criminals in committing crimes.
There was an increased use of firearms by triad gangs in settling disputes among themselves. The Sun Yee On, which was responsible for over 50 per cent of the triad- related offences in Hong Kong, was the major target of investigation by the police throughout the year. Several successful operations resulted in the arrest of a large number of triad members and office-bearers of the gang. They were charged with triad-related offences, possession of firearms, rape, money laundering, extortion and other offences. Investigation into other triad groups, including the Wo Shing Wo, 14K and Wo On Lok also led to a number of arrests.
Following the occurrence of a number of incidents involving well-known film directors and movie stars, the police also focussed on triad involvement in the Hong Kong film industry. Despite some successes, it remained difficult to collate evidence in triad-related investigations. This can be attributed to the reluctance on the part of members of the public, particularly the victims, to come forward as witnesses. The Organised and Serious Crimes Bill, which was introduced into the Legislative Council in July, requires persons having information relevant to an investigation to answer questions. In preparation for the passage of this bill, the police are giving consideration to how measures for protecting witnesses can be stepped up.
Despite continued efforts to combat the theft of luxury vehicles, the number of such cases increased steadily throughout the year. A total of 1 889 luxury vehicles was stolen in 1992, compared with 802 in 1991. This rise was fuelled by the conveniently located and seemingly insatiable market in China. High-powered speedboats remained a popular means of transport for the smuggling of these vehicles. Some improvements in prevention have been achieved with the introduction of improved anti-theft devices by car manufacturers.
During the year, co-operation with overseas law enforcement agencies was stepped up significantly. Two cases were particularly worthy of note. In the first case, two men were arrested in Hong Kong in connection with the pay-off for a case of kidnap which occurred in Canada. In the second case, a Japanese man was identified in Hong Kong to have been involved in a bomb incident in Japan. Closer liaison with China also resulted in a number of arrests of violent criminals on both sides of the border.
Commercial Crime
During the year, the Commercial Crime Bureau's Fraud Division continued to investigate complaints from the business sector. A noteworthy case of fraudulent trading involved more than 1 400 victims. The Counterfeit and Forgery Division saw more successes in the fight against counterfeit and forgery activities. In one incident, a printing factory was found to be engaged in the production of counterfeit Japanese banknotes, each of 10 000 yen in face value. In another case, 500 forged credit cards and a number of counterfeit passports were seized from a manufacturing centre located in a domestic premises.
On the international front, the Intelligence Section continued to monitor the activities of international fraudsters. A number of attempted deceptions were successfully averted. A