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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1991
WAYS.
THE POLICE ARE TACKLING THIS PROBLEM VIGOROUSLY IN A NUMBER OF FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE POLICE ARE TARGETTING THEIR INTELLIGENCE AND OPERATIONS AGAINST THE CRIMINAL GANGS INVOLVED IN THE IMPORT AND USB OF FIREARMS IN HONG KONG. THESE OPERATIONS, MANY INEVITABLY OF A LONG TERM NATURE, ARE BEARING RESULTS. IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, THE POLICE HAVE SEIZED ALMOST 200 GENUINE AND CONVERTED GUNS. SECONDLY, BOTH THE POLICE AND CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT ARE STEPPING UP CONTROLS AND SEARCHES AT BORDER CROSSING POINTS. THIRDLY, WE ARE TO INTRODUCE NEW MEASURES TO CURB SMUGGLING BY SPEEDBOAT BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA WHICH WE BELIEVE IS ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH FIREARMS ARE BEING IMPORTED. I WILL SAY MORE ABOUT THIS LATER. FINALLY, WE ARE SEEKING TO STRENGTHEN CO-OPERATION WITH CHINA IN MEASURES AGAINST ILLEGAL FIREARMS. THERE IS REGULAR CROSS-BORDER LIAISON ON
ON THIS AND OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT MATTERS OF MUTUAL INTEREST AN OPERATIONAL LEVEL; AND WE HAVE ALSO DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM, AND MEANS OF COMBATTING IT, AT A POLITICAL LEVEL BOTH IN GUANGDONG AND IN PEKING. THERE IS NOW A REGULAR EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES. BOTH ARE ANXIOUS TO DEVELOP CO-OPERATION FURTHER TO COUNTER WHAT IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM TO BOTH SIDES.
CAR THEFTS
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THE
I SHOULD NOW LIKE TO TURN TO THE PROBLEM OF VEHICLE THEFT. GREAT MAJORITY OF STOLEN CARS ARE RECOVERED. BUT LAST YEAR SAW BOTH A LARGE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES STOLEN, AND, EQUALLY SIGNIFICANT, A REDUCTION FROM ABOUT 85% TO 70% IN THE NUMBER SUBSEQUENTLY RECOVERED. SOME OF THE VEHICLES NOT RECOVERED ARK CANNIBALISED FOR SPARE PARTS, AND SOME ARE RESOLD LOCALLY. BUT MOST ARE SMUGGLED OUT OF HONG KONG, THE MAIN, THOUGH NOT THE ONLY, DESTINATION BEING CHINA.
HERE AGAIN, THE PROBLEM IS BEING TACKLED ON A NUMBER OF FRONTS. THE POLICE HAVE STEPPED UP INVESTIGATIONS TO OBTAIN INTELLIGENCE ABOUT CRIMINAL GROUPS ENGAGED IN CAR THEFT. BASED ON THIS INTELLIGENCE, THEY HAVE MOUNTED LARGE-SCALE OPERATIONS, BOTH ON LAND AND AT SEA, WHICH HAVE RESULTED IN ARRESTS, THE RECOVERY OF STOLEN VEHICLES, AND THE BREAKING UP OF SOME OF THE CAR-THEFT SYNDICATES.
WE HAVE ALSO STEPPED UP PUBLICITY ON ANTI-CAR THEFT PRECAUTIONS BY WAY
OF POSTERS, VIDEO AND APIS. THE POLICE HAVE APPROACHED THE MANAGEMENT OF CAR PARKS TO ADVISE ON SECURITY MEASURES, AND INCREASED CHECKS AT BLACK SPOTS AND AT ROAD BLOCKS.
THERE WAS A LARGE DROP
THESE MEASURES ARE HAVING SOME SUCCESS. IN THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES REPORTED STOLEN IN DECEMBER 1990 (SOME 45% LESS THAN IN NOVEMBER), AND THE FIGURE FOR JANUARY THIS YEAR WAS ALSO SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE NUMBERS FOR EACH OF THE 6 MONTHS FROM JUNE ΤΟ NOVEMBER LAST YEAR. CLEARLY, HOWEVER, ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS OF TACKLING THIS PROBLEM IS CO-OPERATION WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN CHINA AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION TO CLOSE OFF THE MARKET FOR STOLEN VEHICLES. TO THIS END, THE POLICE ARE CIRCULATING TO THE CHINESE AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION PARTICULARS OF STOLEN VEHICLES IN HONG KONG, INCLUDING ENGINE AND CHASSIS NUMBERS. WE ARE ALSO PRESSING FOR THE TIGHTENING UP OF PROCEDURES FOR THE REGISTRATION OF IMPORTED SECOND-HAND VEHICLES, PARTICULARLY RIGHT-HAND DRIVE VEHICLES, AND FOR THE RETURN OF STOLEN VEHICLES.
/SMUGGLING