SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1975
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LICENCE REQUIRED FOR HANDLING ACETYLATING SUBSTANCES
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THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT TODAY REMINDED IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS AND OTHERS DEALING IN ACETYLATING SUBSTANCES THAT THEY MUST APPLY TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR PERMISSION TO HANDLE OR POSSESS THE CHEMICALS.
FAILURE TO DO SO, A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID, COULD RESULT IN A $1 MILLION FINE AND 15 YEARS' IMPRISONMENT UNDER NEW LEGISLATION WHICH CAME INTO EFFECT LAST MONTH.
THE LAW STIPULATES THAT PEOPLE WHO IMPORT, EXPORT, PROCURE, SUPPLY, DEAL IN OR WITH, MANUFACTURE OR PROCESS THESE CHEMICALS, MUST OBTAIN THE APPROPRIATE LICENCES, PERMITS OR AUTHORISATION FROM THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT.
THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT ACETYLATING SUBSTANCES COULD BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HEROIN AND THE NEW LEGISLATION WAS DRAWN UP TO BRING ABOUT STRICTER CONTROL OF THE MOVEMENT AND USE OF THE CHEMICALS.
THE NEW LAW, THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT, WAS A FURTHER STEP IN THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORT TO STAMP OUT THE NARCOTICS TRADE. UNDER THE OLD LAW ONLY ACETIC ANHYDRIDE WAS CONTROLLED, AND THE PENALTY FOR CONTRAVENING THAT LAW WAS $50,000 AND ONE YEAR IMPRISONMENT.
· UNDER THE NEW LEGISLATION, DRAWN UP SPECIFICALLY FOR ALL ACETYLATING SUBSTANCES, TWO OTHER CHEMICALS - ACETIC CHLORIDE AND ACETIC BROMIDE - WERE ADDED TO THE LIST FOR STRICT CONTROL.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT APPLICATION FORMS WERE AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE AT THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT, ROOM 14, GROUND FLOOR, 46, CONNAUGHT ROAD CENTRAL, HONG KONG. THE FEE FOR EACH LICENCE OR PERMIT IS $100, BUT AUTHORISATIONS ISSUED TO LICENSED IMPORTERS, EXPORTERS AND DEALERS TO IMPORT AND EXPORT THE CHEMICALS ARE FREE OF CHARGE.
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