SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 1988
FEWER DRUG ADDICTS NEWLY REPORTED
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THE DOWNWARD TREND IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS NEWLY REPORTED TO THE GOVERNMENT'S COMPUTERISED CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ABUSE CONTINUED IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS (ACAN), DR GERALD CHOA, SAID THIS TODAY (SUNDAY) WHEN OFFICIATING AT THE "HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL ANTI-DRUG DAY" COMMEMORATIVE CEREMONY.
DR CHOA SAID THE NUMBER OF PERSONS OF ALL AGÉS NEWLY REPORTED DECREASED BY 36.8 PER CENT, FROM 771 TO 487. COMPARED WITH THE
CORRESPONDING PERIOD LAST YEAR.
T
"THE NUMBER OF NEWLY REPORTED YOUNG PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 21 ALSO DROPPED CONSIDERABLY, BY 49.5 PER CENT, FROM 273 TO 138, HE SAID.
THE DOWNWARD TREND HAD BEGUN IN 1984, HE ADDED,
DR CHOA PAID TRIBUTE TO THE POLICE AND THE CUSTOMS, WHOSE UNCEASING OPERATIONS HAD RESULTED IN SEIZURES OF ILLICIT DRUGS.
"THE RECENTLY HELD PUBLIC DESTRUCTION OF MORE THAN 1,000 KILOGRAMS OF SEIZED ILLICIT DRUGS, WORTH OVER $600 MILLION AT TODAY'S PRICES, IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
"DURING THE FIRST THREE MONTHS THIS YEAR, THE POLICE AND CUSTOMS SEIZED A TOTAL OF 267 KILOGRAMS OF
NO. 3 HEROIN, WHICH WAS ABOUT 75 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL SEIZURE LAST YEAR,' HE SAID.
SAID
REVIEWING THE SITUATION REGARDING PROSECUTIONS, DR CHOA THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONS PROSECUTED FOR ALL DRUG OFFENCES IN THE FIRST QUARTER INCREASED SLIGHTLY, BY 1.5 PER CENT, TO 2,863.
HOWEVER, HE SAID, THE 26.4 PER CENT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS PROSECUTED FOR MAJOR DRUG OFFENCE WAS SIGNIFICANT, RISING FROM 1,106 IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF LAST YEAR TO 1,777 THIS YEAR.
DR C'HOA ALSO SAID IT WAS ENCOURAGING TO LEARN THAT GOOD PROGRESS WAS BEING MADE IN PREPARING DRAFT LEGISLATION AIMED AT RECOVERING PROCEEDS FROM DRUG TRAFFICKERS.
WHEN SUCH LEGISLATION BECAME LAW IT WOULD REPRESENT A HEAVY STRIKE AGAINST TRAFFICKERS, HE SAID.
DR CHOA STRESSED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO LET-UP IN THE WAR AGAINST DRUG TRAFFICKING, AND STEPS WOULD BE TAKEN TO FURTHER INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION.
ENHANCE
/FOR ITS