MONDAY, APRIL 12, 1982
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MR K.S. TONG, WHO HEADS THE CIB, SAID THE NEW ARRANGEMENT ENABLES EACH REGIÓN TO TAKE PROMPT ACTION WITHOUT HAVING TO REFER CONSTANTLY TO HEADQUARTERS FOR INSTRUCTIONS.
+THE CIB WILL ASSIST THE REGIONAL DIVISIONS ONLY IN MAJOR AND COMPLEX CASES, UPON REQUEST, OR WHEN INTER-REGIONAL ACTION IS CONTEMPLATED, HE ADDED.
IS
IN ADDITION TO ITS GENERAL INVESTIGATION WORK THE CIB RESPONSIBLE FOR DETECTING ORGANISED DRUG RUNNING AND TRAFFICKING OF A MAJOR NATURE.
DRUG TRAFFICKERS, EXPLAINED MR TONG, ARE NOW EMPLOYING EVER MORE INGENIOUS AND SOPHISTICATED WAYS TO PLY THEIR NEFARIOUS TRADE.
SOME FOR INSTANCE ARE EMPLOYING NEW METHODS OF CONCEALMENT, SUCH AS INSIDE TROPICAL FRUITS AND CANNED FOOD. OTHERS TRY TO CATCH THE CUSTOMS OFF GUARD BY DIVERTING THEIR DRUGS THROUGH PLACES KNOWN FOR THEIR TOUGH REGULATIONS AND SURVEILLANCE SUCH AS SINGAPORE, TOKYO, TAIPEI AND BEIJING TO DISCOURAGE CUSTOMS ATTENTION IN HONG KONG.
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MASSIVE DRUG SHIPMENTS, HOWEVER, CONTINUE TO BE MADE FROM SEA-GOING VESSELS. LAST YEAR A RECORD-HIGH SEIZURE OF DEHYDRATED OPIUM TOTALLING 82.7 KILOGRAMS WAS MADE ON BOARD ONE VESSEL FROM SINGAPORE. THE DRUGS WERE FOUND INSIDE A SPARE PISTON AND IN VARIOUS FALSE COMPARTMENTS OF THE SHIP. MORE RECENTLY 73 KILOGRAMS OF HEROIN BASE WAS DETECTED IN A CONSIGNMENT OF COMPRESSORS, AGAIN FROM SINGAPORE.
MR TONG EXPRESSED CONCERN AT THE REAPPEARANCE OF A QUANTITY OF HIGH QUALITY NO. 4 HEROIN LAST YEAR, AND THE INFLUX OF DRUGS AS A RESULT OF BUMPER HARVESTS IN THE NOTORIOUS GOLDEN TRIANGLE OF THAILAND, BURMA AND LAOS.
+THERE IS SIMPLY NO LETTING UP ON OUR WATCH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS, AND OUR BATTLE OF WITS WITH BIG TRAFFICKERS AND THE IR COURIERS WILL GO ON, HE SAID.
MR JORDAN, A SENIOR OFFICER WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM CUSTOMS AND EXCISE BEFORE HE WAS APPOINTED COMMISSIONER IN 1977, SAID, *THE EXPANSION AND REORGANISATION OF THE SERVICE WERE NOT ONLY INTENDED TO IMPROVE ITS ANTI-NARCOTICS AND ANTI-COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT WORK FOR WHICH IT IS ALREADY WELL KNOWN - BUT ALSO TO DEAL WITH OTHER VIOLATIONS DAMAGING THE ECONOMY OR TRADING INTEGRITY OF HONG KONG+
+THE NECESSITY FOR AN ENTIRELY NEW ORGANISATION BECAME APPARENT WITH THE GROWTH OF HONG KONG, ITS INCREASING TRADE AND CHANGING TRADING PATTERNS, NOT LEAST AMONG THESE IS THE INCREASING TRADE AND TRAFFIC WITH CHINA, BOTH ACROSS THE LAND BOUNDARY AND BY SEA AND AIR,
LAST YEAR, 41 CASES OF SMUGGLING BY SEA BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA WERE INTERCEPTED, RESULTING IN 398 ARRESTS INVOLVING SMUGGLED GOODS WORTH ABOUT 16.25 MILLION DOLLARS. IN CONTRAST TO 1980 WHEN ONLY 11 CASES INVOLVING GOODS WORTH ABOUT 2.67 MILLION DOLLARS WERE INTERCEPTED, AND 66 ARRESTED.
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