WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 1982
NEW BILL TO CLOSE LOOPHOLES IN DANGEROUS DRUGS LAW
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A BILL DESIGNED TO CLOSE LOOPHOLES IN THE EXISTING LAW DEALING WITH TRAFFICKING AND MANUFACTURE OF DANGEROUS DRUGS WAS INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE DANGEROUS DRUGS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES SAID THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE BILL WAS TO ALLOW PROSECUTION OF PERSONS ENGAGED IN DILUTING+ OR +CUTTING DANGEROUS DRUGS BY REDEFINING +MANUFACTURE, TO ENSURE THAT ANY QUANTITIES OF DANGEROUS DRUGS, HOWEVER SMALL, WERE REGARDED AS DANGEROUS DRUGS FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE CRDINANCE, AND TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR DEALING WITH SUSPECTED DRUG COURIERS CARRYING DRUGS IN BODY CAVITIES.
THE AMENDMENTS WERE PART OF THE CONTINUING EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY FROM SUCH CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES AND TO BRING TRAFFICKERS, CHEMISTS, COURIERS AND OTHERS TO JUSTICE, HE SAID.
+ IN SPITE OF THE PROGRESS MADE IN RECENT YEARS IN DEAL ING WITH DRUG TRAFFICKING AND ABUSE PROBLEMS, THEY STILL REPRESENT A GREAT THREAT TO THE SOCIAL HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY, AND ESPECIALLY TO YOUNG PEOPLE.
+ ILLICIT DRUGS CONTINUE TO REACH HONG KONG, AND THE COMPETENCE AND EXPERTISE OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IS CONSTANTLY BEING CHALLENGED BY NEW TRAFFICKING METHODS AND ROUTES OF ENTRY DEVISED BY THE WELL-FINANCED CRIMINALS ENGAGED IN THIS EVIL TRADE, MR DAVIES SAID.
ONE OF THE METHODS USED, HE SAID, WAS TO REPLACE IMPORTS OF OP IUM OR MORPHINE WITH HEROIN BASE (DIACETYLMORPHINE), WHICH IS OF LOWER BULK AND HIGHER VALUE.
THIS METHOD ALSO FACILITATED THE PREPARATION OF THE MOST COMMONLY USED HEROIN SALT, DIACETYLMORPHINE HYDROCHLORIDE, BY THE SIMPLE ADDITION OF HYDROCHLORIDE ACID TO HEROIN BASE. THIS OBVIATED THE LONG, SMELLY AND OFTEN DANGEROUS PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING HEROIN FROM MORPHINE USING ACETIC ANHYDRIDE WHICH WAS USED IN LOCAL CLANDESTINE LABORATORIES IN THE PAST.
UNDER THE EXISTING ORDINANCE THE MANUFACTURE OF DANGEROUS DRUGS BY THE DILUTING+ OR CUTTING PROCESS, THAT IS MIXING THE HYDROCHLORIDE SALT WITH ADDITIVE SUBSTANCES SUCH AS CAFFEINE, STRYCHNINE OR BARBITURATES, DID NOT APPLY TO CASES OF DILUTING OR CUTTING.
AS A RESULT A CHARGE OF MANUFACTURING DANGEROUS DRUGS COULD NOT BE LAID IN FOUR CASES IN WHICH DRUGS FOUND ON EQUIPMENT AND PARAPHERNALIA IN THE CLANDESTINE LABORATORIES CONCERNED WERE, IN THE OPINION OF THE GOVERNMENT CHEMIST, REFERABLE TO THE DILUTION OR CUTTING OF DANGEROUS DRUGS RATHER THAN THEIR MANUFACTURE.
TO CLOSE THIS LOOPHOLE, THE AMENDING BILL PROPOSED THAT THE DEFINITION OF +MANUFACTURE UNDER THE ORDINANCE SHOULD BE WIDENED TO INCLUDE MAKING, ADULTERATING, PURIFYING, MIXING, SEPARATING OR OTHERWISE TREATING A DANGEROUS DRUGS.
/THE SECOND