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Public Order
Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing
The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau coordinates overall policies in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing. The amended Anti-Money Laundering and Counter- Terrorist Financing Ordinance became effective on 1 March, requiring lawyers, accountants, estate agents and trust or company service providers to carry out preventive measures against money laundering and terrorist financing. The Cross-boundary Movement of Physical Currency and Bearer Negotiable Instruments Ordinance came into operation on 16 July, requiring declarations or disclosures to be made for the cross-boundary transportation of currency or bearer negotiable instruments with a value of more than $120,000. The division helped publicise the new statutory requirements extensively to the sectors concerned and the public.
Government Laboratory
The Government Laboratory's Forensic Science Division provides a comprehensive forensic service to the criminal justice system. It has two operational groups, the Drugs, Toxicology and Documents Group and the Criminalistics and Quality Management Group.
The Drugs, Toxicology and Documents Group examines cases in three areas:
• Abused drugs.
Analysis of blood and urine in drink-driving and drug-driving cases, urinalysis and hair drug testing to support abused drug monitoring programmes, and toxicological examination in suspicious deaths and criminal offences.
• Examination of handwriting and documents. Technical advice and testing is also available to ensure the quality of the new generation of Hong Kong smart identity cards and e-passports.
The Criminalistics and Quality Management Group undertakes laboratory tests on trace evidence, marks and impressions, and human DNA. It provides a round-the-clock crime scene. examination and consultation service. Officers are trained to ascertain causes of fires, reconstruct traffic accidents and interpret bloodstain patterns. On 10 February, the group conducted a forensic accident investigation for the police in a bus crash along Tai Po Road with heavy casualties.
Civil Aid Service
The Civil Aid Service (CAS) is a government auxiliary emergency service set up under the Civil Aid Service Ordinance, with 103 civil servants and nearly 8,000 adult volunteers and cadets.
Members are trained to provide rescue services in emergencies. In 2018, they served in 57 mountain search and rescue assignments and 23 vegetation firefighting missions. To cope with Super Typhoon Mangkhut in September, the CAS strengthened pre-typhoon preparations, executed its duties steadfastly during the storm and provided post-typhoon community support. It stepped up publicity on hiking safety to reduce mountaineering accidents and educate the public on what to do and how to save themselves in an accident.
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