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Public Order
The department also assesses the taxable values of motor vehicles under the Motor Vehicles (First Registration Tax) Ordinance. In 2015-16, it registered 94 motor traders, assessed the provisional taxable values of 76,571 vehicles and reassessed 34,253 of them, resulting in the collection of $9.3 billion first registration tax by the Transport Department.
The Customs and Excise Department undertakes sustained enforcement action against illicit cigarette activities on all fronts and cooperates with overseas customs authorities to stamp out transnational cigarette smuggling, including monitoring suspicious shipments through intelligence exchange.
In 2016, the department handled 1,607 cases involving the smuggling, storage, distribution and peddling of illicit cigarettes, a decrease of 14.2 per cent from 2015, and seized 61 million sticks of illicit cigarettes. Under a Compounding Scheme, 6,719 people were fined for abuse of duty- free cigarette concessions, 20 per cent fewer than in 2015, involving 1.7 million sticks of cigarettes.
The department takes sustained action to stamp out illicit fuel activities. In 2016, it solved 53 illicit fuel cases, arrested 65 people and seized 224,100 litres of illicit fuel. There were 26.2 per cent more cases than in 2015.
Anti-narcotics Operations
The department takes vigorous enforcement action to prevent and suppress the unlawful manufacture, distribution and trafficking of dangerous drugs; to trace, confiscate and recover drug proceeds from illegal drug activities; and to prevent the diversion of chemicals used for the illicit manufacture of dangerous drugs. It maintains close cooperation and exchanges intelligence with local, Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking.
In 2016, the department dealt with 213 drug trafficking cases and smashed 29 drug storage and distribution centres and two drug manufacturing and attenuating centres, seizing 1,271kg of assorted dangerous drugs2 and arresting 330 people. Taking into account the latest drug trafficking pattern, the department engaged the logistics industry's support and strengthened cooperation with Mainland and overseas counterparts in combating cross-boundary drug. trafficking. As a result, 265kg of assorted dangerous drugs were seized and 25 people were arrested on the Mainland and overseas.
As part of the government's vigorous efforts against youth drug abuse, the department strengthened enforcement at boundary control points by stepping up checks on cross- boundary coaches and private vehicles, deploying more detector dogs and plainclothes officers in operations, exchanging intelligence and mounting parallel operations with its Mainland counterparts. It worked with NGOs to encourage young people to stay away from drugs and lead a healthy life.
Z
Not including 1,055kg of Khat, which contains substances subject to control under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance.
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