:
GENERAL.
344
In dealing with the Bits Bay pirates, it has always bo very difficult to get reliable information as to the Identity of the pirates concerned possibly because the whol area is more or less infested with pirates and their families who appear to be able to keep their movements a secret. There are undoubtedly many gonps still onere ting (there are 3 well known gangs), but these gangs are split up into sections under sub-leaders who each recruit a certain number of men when it is decided that a piracy is to be committed, In this way it often happens that a member of a gang only knows his sub-leader and a few of the :en with whom he is operating. This is an added difficulty in securing reliable information. With the possible exception
of Commander WONG RUK CHI the Chinese Authorities who have hitherto been entrusted with the suppression of piracy have made little or no attempt to clear this area, in fact it is srmgly suspected that the Military have on more than one ocoagden 1:5 in collusion with the pirates (many of whom have seen military service), and have been friendly disposed towards them. Effective co-operation has therefore been impossible. The most noted Firate nests in this area are1 -- NIM SHAN, FAN LO KONG, HAI OHAU, KWAI CHAU, CHEUNG PAI, HA CHUNG and TAI FUNG City.
(Sgd.) L.H.V. Booth.
Asst. Director of Criminal Intelligence.
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