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Public Order
Crime
Reported crimes in 2016 totalled 60,646, a decrease of 8.7 per cent compared with 66,439 in 2015. The crime rate stood at 827 cases per 100,000 population, a drop of 9.2 per cent compared with 911 in 2015. The decrease was mainly due to fewer cases of deception, miscellaneous thefts, blackmail, and wounding and serious assault. There were 10,103 violent crimes, 7.2 per cent fewer than the 10,889 in 2015.
Robbery cases numbered 260, an increase of 16.6 per cent over 223 in 2015. Regarding non- violent crimes, burglaries decreased to 2,428 from 2,579 in 2015, a decline of 5.9 per cent, while overall thefts decreased to 25,628 from 27,512 in 2015, down 6.8 per cent.
Of the reported crimes, 47.3 per cent, or 28,677 cases, were detected, resulting in the arrests of 33,242 persons. Among these, 1,074 were juveniles aged between 10 and 15 while 2,292 were young persons aged between 16 and 20. Arrests of youths were mostly for shop theft, wounding and serious assault, miscellaneous thefts and serious drug offences.
The number of triad-related crimes increased 3.3 per cent, to 1,872 from 1,812 in 2015. This type of crime accounted for 3.1 per cent of all reported crimes during the year.
Between July and September, the police mounted a series of tripartite joint operations with the Guangdong and Macao police, resulting in the arrests of 2,120 persons for triad-related offences and the seizure of illicit goods worth more than $72 million.
Commercial Crime
The Commercial Crime Bureau tackles serious and complex fraud, money laundering and counterfeiting of monetary instruments in Hong Kong by cooperating closely with local, regional and international partners in multi-jurisdictional enforcement operations. It also engages different sectors of the community through the use of social media and cooperates with multiple agencies on scam prevention initiatives.
Technology Crime
The Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau combats technology crimes, improves its digital forensic examination capability and maintains a safe cyberspace in Hong Kong through partnership with the community and stakeholders. It hosted the first Cyber Security Summit in 2016 to raise local awareness of cyber security and strengthen international collaboration.
Dangerous Drugs
The police adopt a multi-agency approach, encompassing help from the community, in disrupting drug abuse and trafficking.
Ketamine and methamphetamine continued to be the most commonly abused drugs in the territory, accounting for 51.7 per cent of the 4,378 persons arrested for dangerous drugs in 2016.
To tackle transnational drug trafficking, the Narcotics Bureau maintains a strategic partnership with Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies. This led to 11 successful joint operations in 2016 that seized 3,167kg of illicit drugs and 2,500 ecstasy-type tablets.
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