HEALTH
Vigorous law enforcement efforts successfully reduced the supply of drugs in the year under review. The Hong Kong Police Force and the Customs and Excise Department seized some 319 kilograms of heroin, 25 kilograms of cannabis, 120 kilograms of methylamphetamine, 21 394 tablets of MDMA (methylenedioxymethylamphetamine, commonly called 'ecstasy') and substantial quantities of other types of narcotics. In all, 8 118 persons were arrested for various drug offences. Enhanced co-operation with foreign law enforcement agencies led to the cracking down on international drug trafficking syndicates. Among these were 13 cases which led to 2 688 kilograms of drugs being seized and 55 ringleaders of these drug trafficking syndicates being arrested.
Since the enactment of the Drug Trafficking (Recovery of Proceeds) Ordinance, assets valued at $420 million have been confiscated, of which $286 million has been paid to the Government. By the end of 1999, assets amounting to $108 million were under restraint.
Treatment and Rehabilitation
Hong Kong adopts a multi-modality approach in providing treatment and rehabilitation services to cater for the different needs of drug abusers from varying backgrounds.
The main types of treatment and rehabilitation programmes include a compulsory drug addiction treatment programme operated by the Correctional Services Department for convicted drug abusers; a voluntary out-patient methadone programme provided by the Department of Health; voluntary residential treatment programmes run by non-governmental organisations including Caritas Hong Kong, the Society for the Aid and Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers (SARDA) and several Christian therapeutic treatment agencies; counselling services for psychotropic substances abusers provided by PS33 of the Hong Kong Christian Service, Caritas HUGS Centre and the Hong Kong Lutheran Social Service Lutheran Cheer Centre; and medical services for substances abusers provided by the Hospital Authority's six substance abuse clinics.
Two teams of specially trained social workers under the Against Substance Abuse Scheme of the Social Welfare Department are available to help young people who occasionally abuse drugs.
In March, a new residential treatment centre run by Caritas Hong Kong commenced operation in Sai Kung. It provides a four-week medical treatment programme followed by a one-year after-care programme to young male opiate abusers aged under 21. During the year, necessary planning work was under
way for the establishment of another residential/counselling treatment centre for young opiate abusers in the New Territories West.
In May, the ACAN Treatment and Rehabilitation Subcommittee decided to review the methadone treatment programme. This aims to evaluate the programme's usefulness and effectiveness, to identify areas for improvement, and to consider whether there are other alternatives to methadone in drug detoxification and maintenance. The review is expected to be completed in 2000.
In August, the Narcotics Division started to prepare the second Three-year Plan on Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Services in Hong Kong. It is expected to be finalised in mid-2000. To facilitate the setting of polices, priorities and strategies on
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