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FRIDAY, JULY 29, 1994
MR NG SAID IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, THE POLICE SEIZED A TOTAL OF 5,500 OBSCENE (AS DISTINCT FROM INDECENT) FROM 127 SHOPS AND NEWSPAPER STALLS.
A TOTAL OF 138 PERSONS HAVE BEEN PROSECUTED POLICE OR TELA FOR VARIOUS OFFENCES UNDER THE COIAO.
ARTICLES
BY
EITHER THE
OPERATIONS
THESE FIGURES, HE EMPHASISED, RELATED TO THE JOINT AND DID NOT INCLUDE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS UNDERTAKEN BY THE POLICE, THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT AND TELA INDEPENDENTLY.
MR NG SHARES THE CONCERN OF SOME COMMUNITY GROUPS ABOUT THE INDECENT ARTICLES, IN PARTICULAR INDECENT COMIC BOOKS, TO
SALE OF CHILDREN.
HE SAID: "OF THE 138 PERSONS MENTIONED EARLIER, 14 ARE PROSECUTED FOR SELLING OR HIRING INDECENT ARTICLES TO PERSONS BELOW THE AGE OF 18. HOWEVER, THE FIGURE DOES NOT REFLECT THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEMS,
H
MR NG EXPLAINED THE DIFFICULTIES IN COLLECTING EVIDENCE OF SUCH AN OFFENCE.
IT OFTEN
HE SAID: "THE SELLER HAS TO BE CAUGHT RED-HANDED. TAKES A POLICE OFFICER AND A TELA OFFICER SEVERAL HOURS OF SURVEILLANCE BEFORE THEY WITNESS THE SALE OF AN INDECENT PUBLICATION TO A JUVENILE.
"THE JUVENILE THEN HAS TO BE PERSUADED ΤΟ HAND OVER THE PUBLICATION TO THE POLICE OFFICER BECAUSE THERE IS NO PROVISION IN THE COIAO TO EMPOWER THE OFFICER TO SEIZE THE PUBLICATION EVEN THOUGH IS REQUIRED FOR USE AS EVIDENCE IN COURT.
IT
"ALSO, WE HAD A FEW CASES WHERE THE PARENTS OF THE JUVENILES DID NOT WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO GIVE EVIDENCE IN COURT. AS A RESULT, WE HAD TO DROP THE CASE.
"EVEN THOUGH WE MAY REQUEST THE COURT TO SUBPOENA THE JUVENILES, WE DID NOT DO SO BECAUSE WE RESPECTED THE WISH OF THE PARENTS AND WE WISHED TO AVOID CAUSING DISTRESS TO THE JUVENILES."
MR NG SAID IT WAS GRATIFYING TO NOTE THAT THE COURTS HAD ALSO TAKEN NOTE OF THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS.
"IN ALL PROSECUTIONS FOR SALE OF INDECENT ARTICLES TO JUVENILES, WE ASK THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO REQUEST THE COURT TO IMPOSE A HEAVY PENALTY TO REFLECT THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS.
"LAST YEAR, THE PENALTY METED OUT BY THE COURTS FOR SUCH AN OFFENCE RANGED FROM A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS TO ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
ONE
"IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, WE HAD TWO CASES WHERE THE CONVICTED SELLERS WERE EACH FINED $10,000 FOR SELLING ONE INDECENT BOOK TO PERSON BELOW THE AGE OF 18, SAID MR NG.
то
DEPARTMENTS,
MR NG SAID TELA WOULD CONTINUE TO LIAISE WITH THE POLICE CONDUCT FURTHER JOINT OPERATIONS IN THE FUTURE. THE TWO HE SAID, HAD BEEN HAVING EXCELLENT CO-OPERATION.
/UNDER THE