MONDAY, APRIL 12, 1962
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ONLY THREE CASES OF SMUGGLING BY LAND ACROSS THE HONG KONG- CHINA BORDER WERE DISCOVERED IN 1981 AND NONE THE PRECEDING YEAR.
THE INCREASE IN THE SERVICE'S MANPOWER IS EXPECTED TO BE MATCHED BY A COMPARABLE UPGRADING OF ITS MATERIAL RESOURCES. METAL DETECTORS AND X-RAY MACHINES WILL BE INSTALLED THIS YEAR AT ALL CUSTOMS ENTRY POINTS TO DETECT WEAPONS AND OTHER CONTRABAND.
MEANWHILE, THE SERVICE'S CURRENT FLEET OF SEVEN HARBOUR AND PATROL LAUNCHES - SOME OF THEM OVER 24 YEARS OLD - WILL BE GRADUALLY REPLACED BY A MODERN FLEET OF FAST PATROL BOATS, SEVERAL OF WHICH WILL BE CAPABLE OF OPERATING AT SEA CONTINUOUSLY FOR AT LEAST THREE DAYS. THE FIRST OF THE NEW FLEET OF 14 VESSELS IS EXPECTED TO BE COMMISSIONED LATER THIS YEAR.
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THE MODERNISATION OF ITS FLEET, HAS BEEN LONG OVERDUE. MOST SMUGGLERS' VESSELS CAN OUTRUN ANY OF THE SERVICE'S BOATS. *WITH 350 MILES OF COASTLINE AND 243 ISLANDS DOTTING HONG KONG'S 715 SQUARE MILES OF TERRITORIAL WATERS, ALL OF THEM POTENTIAL DRUG PICK-UP POINTS, THE NEED FOR A MUCH BIGGER AND BETTER- EQUIPPED FLEET CANNOT BE OVER-EMPHASISED, AN OFFICER SAID.
THE SERVICE MAINTAINS REGULAR AND DIRECT CONTACT WITH OVER 40 FOREIGN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND ITS OFFICERS HAVE BEEN INVITED TO TRAIN THEIR COUNTERPARTS AND HELP ESTABLISH COMPARABLE SERVICES IN OTHER COUNTRIES. ITS OWN TRAINING SCHOOL IS AN $8-MILLION COMPLEX OF BUILDINGS SITUATED
AT 16-MILESTONE, CASTLE PEAK ROAD, NEW TERRITORIES. LAST YEAR, THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE TRAINING SCHOOL GRADUATED 664 OFFICERS, THE LARGEST NUMBER OF GRADUATES PRODUCED IN ANY SINGLE YEAR SINCE IT WAS OPENED IN 1974.
RECENTLY, THE SERVICE HAS INTENSIFIED ITS ACTIVITIES FOR THE PROTECTION OF COPYRIGHT, AND MANY INSTANCES OF INFRINGEMENT OF TRADE MARKS WERE BROUGHT TO THE COURTS AND SUCCESSFULLY PROSECUTED.
IN ADDITION TO INFRINGEMENT OF PRODUCT BRANDS THERE WERE ALSO CASES OF COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT, CONCERNING VIDEO CASSETTES, RECORDERS, PIRATED BOOKS AND MAGAZINES, AND SOUND TAPES. PORNOGRAPHIC TAPES WERE ALSO SEIZED IN LARGE QUANTITIES, AND LED TO 25 PERSONS BEING CHARGED UNDER THE OBJECTIONABLE PUBLICATIONS ORDINANCE.
EXCEPT ON GROUNDS OF SUSPICION, CARGO AND PASSENGERS ARE OTHERWISE EXAMINED ONLY ON A VERY SELECTIVE BASIS, IN LINE WITH TRADE FACILITATION POLICY AND THE FREE PORT STATUS OF HONG KONG, IT WAS EXPLAINED. BUT SUCH SELECTION IS RELATED TO A SOPHISTICATED INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM WHICH ENABLES THE CUSTOMS TO EXERCISE ITS ENFORCEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES WITHOUT UNDUE INTERFERENCE WITH THE TRADE AND TOURIST TRAFFIC OF HONG KONG.
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