4
THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 1979
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WITH THE VAST MOVEMENTS OF PASSENGERS TO AND FROM HONG KONG THROUGH THE AIRPORT THE CURRENT DAILY AVERAGE IS OVER 14,500 →→ IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEARCH EVERY PASSENGER THOROUGHLY.
+A CUSTOMS OFFICER THEREFORE MUST KEEP HIMSELF FULLY ALERT TO EVERY SMALL AND UNUSUAL POINT THAT PASSES UNDER HIS NOSE.
+ IN THE CASE OF THE HOLLOW PUMPKIN, THE INSPECTING OFFICER BECAME SUSPICIOUS WHEN HE PICKED IT UP - THE PUMPKIN UNEXPECTEDLY WEIGHED VERY LITTLE.+
MR. KWONG EXPLAINED THAT, FOLLOWING CAREFUL INSPECTION, A LAYER OF WAX WAS FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PUMPKIN AND UNDERNEATH WERE CUTS AND SCRATCHES.
THE IMPREGNATED TOWEL TRICK WAS DISCOVERED WHEN A CUSTOMS OFFICER RUBBED ONE OF THE TOWELS AND SAW WHITE POWDER FALL OFF.
MR. KWONG SAID THE BEHAVIOUR OF A PASSENGER WAS ALWAYS AN IMPORTANT CLUE. IN SOME CASES, A CASUAL APPROACH TO THE DRUG COURIER WOULD MAKE HIM NERVOUS AND BETRAY HIM.
IF A PASSENGER WAS SUSPECTED OF CONCEALING DRUGS ON HIS BODY, HE WOULD BE BROUGHT INTO A PRIVATE ROOM AT THE CUSTOMS HALL FOR A BODY SEARCH.
THE TWO BODY-SEARCH TEAMS, CONSISTING OF TWO MALE AND TWO FEMALE OFFICERS, CONDUCTS ABOUT 1,500 SEARCHES A MONTH.
+IN ORDER TO CONFUSE ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, DRUG EXPORTED FROM SUSPECT PORTS TO HONG KONG IN RECENT YEARS HAD BEEN ROUTED VIA OTHER PLACES NOT PREVIOUSLY KNOWN TO BE SOURCE COUNTRIES, HE SAID.
TWO RETURNING RESIDENTS WERE ARRESTED AT THE AIRPORT ON THE IR RETURN FROM BANGKOK VIA TAIWAN AND SEOUL LAST MAY WITH DRUGS IN THEIR LUGGAGE.
ON ILLICIT EXPORT OF DRUGS FROM HONG KONG, MR. KWONG SAID THE QUANTITY OF OPIATE DRUGS LEAVING HONG KONG HAD REMAINED MINIMAL IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.
+EFFECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION, COUPLED WITH
A DRAMATIC RISE IN THE PRICES OF DRUGS, HAVE DISCOURAGED OVERSEAS TRAFFICKERS FROM SEEKING SUPPLIES IN HONG KONG,+
+ IT IS NOW GENERALLY ACCEPTED BY OTHER COUNTRIES THAT HONG KONG IS NO LONGER A MAJOR DRUG EXPORTING COUNTRY, + HE SAID.
DURING 1978. THE AIRPORT DIVISION OF THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE MADE 49 DRUG SEIZURES AND ARRESTED 44 PEOPLE.
THE 124 KILOGRAMS OF DRUGS SEIZED INCLUDED PREPARED OPIUM (58.87 KG), RAW OPIUM (16.6 KG), HEROIN (28.5 KG) MORPHINE (19.26 KG), CANNABIS (0.11 KG) AND METHYL AMPHETAMINE HYDROCHLOR IDE (1 KG). THE RETAIL VALUE OF THE DRUGS AMOUNTED TO ABOUT $14 MILLION,