310 Public Order
Anti-smuggling Operations
Smuggling carried out across the Hong Kong-Mainland boundary remains an enforcement concern. In 2008, a total of 198 Hong Kong-Mainland smuggling attempts were detected, resulting in the arrest of 313 people and the seizure of about $552 million worth of smuggled goods.
Computer parts, electrical and electronic appliances and precious metals continued to be the common items smuggled from Hong Kong to the Mainland. Luxury items such as high-end computer products, Chinese tonics, leather and fur, and items which are cheaper in the Mainland such as cigarettes, counterfeit goods, meat and poultry were smuggled from the Mainland to Hong Kong.
The department continues to liaise closely with the Mainland and oversees law enforcement agencies to combat smuggling activities. Enforcement action taken included exchange of intelligence and mounting of parallel operations at the land boundary control points and at sea.
To protect public safety, the department works closely with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department to detect and prevent food smuggling of all kinds. An inter- departmental task force was set up in November 2007 to co-ordinate surveillance and enforcement action, enhance publicity campaigns and strengthen intelligence exchange among government departments and with the trade.
Narcotics Division
The Security Bureau's Narcotics Division (ND) is tasked with co-ordinating policies and ways to fight drug abuse. It is also responsible for tackling anti-money laundering and countering terrorist financing in the non-financial sectors.
Overall Strategy and Co-ordination
The Government adopts a five-pronged approach to fighting drug abuse. The strategy involves legislation and law enforcement, education and publicity, treatment and rehabilitation, research, and external co-operation.
The Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) advises the Government on the formulation of anti-drug strategies. It is a non-statutory body composed of professionals in the medical, youth service, education, community service, legal and anti-drug fields. Headed by a chairman, in 2008 it had 17 official and non-official members. The officials are the Commissioner for Narcotics and a representative from the Department of Health. Under an arrangement between Singapore and Hong Kong, the Director of Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau also sits on the committee.
As a result of the rise in drug abuse by young people in recent years, the Chief Executive announced in his 2007-08 Policy Address the appointment of the Secretary for Justice, who is Deputy Chairman of the Fight Crime Committee (FCC), to head a high level inter-departmental task force to combat drug abuse among young people. The task force made use of the existing fight crime and anti-drug networks,