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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1986
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TRIAD PROBLEM DISCUSSED WITH UMELCO
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A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY, THAT ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 31 THE UMELCO SECURITY PANEL MET WITH MR JEAFFRESON, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY AND MR LI KWAN-HA, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE/ OPERATIONS TO DISCUSS THE TRIAD PROBLEM.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT UMELCO MEMBERS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT A REVIEW OF THE TRIAD PROBLEM, PRODUCED BY THE POLICE IN 1976, WHICH APPARENTLY UNDER-ESTIMATED THE PROBLEM AND THAT THEY HAD ASKED FOR GOVERNMENT TO EXPLAIN THE SITUATION.
AFTER THE MEETING, UMELCO MEMBERS EXPRESSED SATISFACTION WITH THE DETAILED STATEMENT GIVEN AT THE MEETING,
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT IN 1976 THE POLICE PREPARED ON THEIR OWN INITIATIVE, AN ASSESSMENT OF THE TRIAD SITUATION. IT SET OUT TO DESCRIBE THE EXTENT OF TRIAD ACTIVITIES IN HONG KONG AT THAT TIME. WHILE IT CONCLUDED THAT THE PROBLEM POSED BY TRIADS WAS VERY REAL, IT PRESENTED A CONFUSED PICTURE IN DESCRIBING THE DEGREE OF ORGANISATION THAT PROBABLY EXISTED IN SOME TRIAD SOCIETIES AND THE EXTENT OF CONTROL EXERTED BY THOSE ORGANISED TRIAD SOCIETIES OVER THE IR MEMBERS.
AT THAT TIME LOW KEY PUBLICITY WAS GIVEN TO THE SITUATION
WITH HINDSIGHT, SO AS NOT TO GIVE UNDUE PUBLICITY TO THE TRIADS. THE SPOKESMAN SAID, THAT APPROACH WAS PROBABLY THE WRONG STRATEGY, IN THAT IT DID NOT ACHIEVE THE EXPECTED RESPONSE.
BUT, HE ADDED, THE REPORT HAD MADE A NUMBER OF CONSTRUCTIVE
IT ALSO CONTAINED RECOMMENDATIONS AS AND FAR-REACHING PROPOSALS.
TO THE OVERALL STRATEGY TO BE ADOPTED AGAINST TRIADS AND ORGANISED CRIME.
THE SPOKESMAN CONTINUED THE GOVERNMENT INCLUDING THE POLICE ARE CONTINUING AND SUSTAINING THEIR ACTION AGAINST THESE GANGS. THE POLICE NOW HAS AN ENHANCED CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM WHICH HAS A FAR HIGHER CAPABILITY THAN BEFORE OF BEING ABLE ACCURATELY TO ASSESS THE SITUATION. NEW INVESTIGATION TECHNIQUES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AND INTRODUCED AND A NUMBER OF INROADS HAVE BEEN MADE.+
+ELSEWHERE, THE FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE AND WORKING GROUP ON GANGS HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE, HE SAID. NOT ONLY HAVE VARIOUS PROBLEM AREAS, SUCH AS FISH MARKETS, SQUATTER AREAS AND DECORATION OF HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME FLATS. BEEN LOOKED AT IN DETAIL BUT OPTIONS FOR LEGISLATIVE CHANGES HAVE ALSO BEEN CONSIDERED AND ARE NOW BEING PUT TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT APPRECIATES THE CONCERN EXPRESSED BY MEMBERS OF UMELCO AND THE INTEREST THEY HAVE SHOWN. THE GOVERNMENT REASSURES UMELCO AND THE PUBLIC OF THEIR TOTAL COMMITMENT TO THE FIGHT AGAINST TRIADS AND CRIMINALS INVOLVED IN ORGANISED CRIME.
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