this year when authority from the Secretary of State for the Colonies was received for the dismissal of sixteen of the police officers involved.
GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS
174. In other Departments two Government servants were charged with corruption, and both were convicted. Seven others were charged with kindred offences; four were convicted, two were discharged whilst one case is pending. Departmental action has been taken against forty five officers for offences of this type, of whom twenty eight were found guilty and all but three were dismissed from Government service. Eight cases were pending at the end of the year.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
175. Seven members of the public were charged with corrupt activities and all were convicted. Deportation proceedings on grounds of corruption were initiated against twenty five members of the public and Deportation Orders were issued against twenty one.
176. Through inquiries carried out by the Anti-Corruption Branch, 124 other persons were arrested and charged with miscellaneous offences; convictions were recorded against 101, whilst cases against nine others are pending.
NARCOTICS
177. The main function of the Narcotics Bureau is the prevention and detection of narcotic offences, the collection and collation of narcotic intelligence, and the investigation of narcotic offences. There is close co-operation with the Preventive Service of the Department of Commerce and Industry. The Bureau also maintains close liaison with narcotic suppression agencies in other parts of the world and these contacts continue to produce results of mutual benefit in the collective efforts made to suppress this traffic.
178. Drugs represent one of the biggest problems facing Hong Kong, and factors which make suppression most difficult are the geographical situation of the Colony and, coupled with the free port facilities, the number of vessels which use the Colony's 600 square miles of territorial waters and the numerous aircraft which pass through the Colony. Those responsible for the illicit traffic in drugs are highly organized with connexions in many other parts of the world and ingenious methods are used to ensure that supplies reach the Colony.
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