PUBLIC ORDER
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Interpol
The Hong Kong National Central Bureau of the International Criminal Police Organisa- tion, more commonly known as Interpol, is one of its most active members in the Southeast Asian region.
The bureau aims to ensure and promote the widest possible mutual assistance among all police authorities, within the limits of the laws existing in different member countries and in the spirit of the Declaration of Human Rights.
It acts as a co-ordination centre in dealing with criminal information and associated inquiries between Hong Kong and the rest of the world, and disseminates information on behalf of the Force to participating countries. It also maintains close liaison with most local consulate officials.
Two officers are seconded to the Interpol General Secretariat in Lyons, France, to maintain close liaison with the secretariat there.
As part of the improved liaison and co-operation with China, two Chinese liaison. officers were stationed in Hong Kong during the year.
Public Order
There were no incidents of major public disorder in Hong Kong in 1993.
During the year, the Police Tactical Unit (PTU) Companies were deployed in a wide variety of roles, including a number of large-scale anti-illegal immigrant operations. They also assisted the Correctional Services Department in duties related to Vietnamese migrants.
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PTU tactical training continued to expand, with an emphasis on weapons tactics and -Internal Security (IS) training. Several improvements in equipment were made. It is expected that the PTU Companies will soon have the capability to operate using Black Hawk helicopters. By the end of the year, a total of 2 210 officers were trained in the PTU Companies. In addition, officers of District IS Companies, CID officers and women police also underwent training under scheduled programmes of the PTU.
Illegal Immigration
It was another busy year for the police dealing with increased numbers of illegal immigrants. A total of 35 193 illegals from China were arrested in the territory by the police, representing a 4.4 per cent increase over 1992.
Among those arrested, 62 per cent claimed to have entered the territory by boat and the remainder over land. An increasing number of those coming by land resorted to hiding in trains or cargo vehicles, rather than risking climbing the border fence.
The police continued their responsibility for the border and, on average, deployed over 500 officers each day to counter the influx.
About 60 per cent of arrested illegals had entered the territory on previous occasions. There were also indications that the majority came in to look for job opportunities. Many returned to the mainland voluntarily after working for several months and remitting money back home. This resulted in the police targeting anti-illegal immigrant operations at work premises. Prosecutions were directed against employers breaking the law.
Vietnamese Migrants
Vietnamese migrants (VMs) are held in detention centres throughout Hong Kong, with the majority detained at the Whitehead Detention Centre. The screening of VMs was near
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