M 134
6. The extent of the traffic in opium and dangerous drugs in Hong Kong is enormous, but during the year under review the export aspect of the traffic in opium decreased considerably owing to (a) the China Incident, and (b) the European War. The former cut off the supplies of Chinese raw and prepared opium, and as a result the price of the illicit commodities increased considerably during the year. The latter produced an effective control of all shipping which considerably hampered the illicit traffic.
In addition, the strict censorship established over cable and postal matter tightened up the control of the illicit traffic in opium and drugs.
7. No raw materials are cultivated in Hong Kong.
8. There is no manufacture of opium or dangerous drugs in Hong Kong. Prepared opium sold by the Government Monopoly is manufactured in Singapore, from stocks of raw opium in Singapore owned by the Hong Kong Government, under the Bangkok Agreement.
9. Two types of prepared opium are sold in Hong Kong by the Government Monopoly, (a) Kam Shan and (b) Singapore blend. The former is the balance of the stock of a luxury type made in Hong Kong in 1932. It is sold to registered and rationed smokers and no new names are added to the register. There are fifty-two of these smokers and they consumed 102 kilograms during the year. They pay H.K.$80 for a three tael (four ounces) tin of this opium. The Singapore blend is sold through thirteen Government and eleven licenced shops at H.K.$12 per tael. No smoking of opium is allowed in these shops and 3,048 kilograms were sold through them during the year. There is no rationing of sales from these shops and the number of purchasers or smokers of this opium is unknown but 5,505 individual purchases were counted on three consecutive days in December. The gross revenue from the sales of opium was H.K.$1,028,269.76 and the profit on the year's working of the monopoly shown on a detailed balance sheet in a form approved by the Permanent Central Opium Board of the League of Nations was H.K.$300,709.44. It should be noted however that raw opium used to prepare the opium sold was purchased some years ago and is shown at no book value in this account. Purchases of raw opium will be made in 1940 which will considerably reduce this profit. The 1939 sales of prepared opium were much higher than in recent years—in fact there has been no profit on sales for a long period.
10. Imports and Exports Department and Police Department prosecutions for opium and drugs were as follows:-
Opium Dangerous drugs Number of cases 2,837 2,196 Number of persons charged 3,265 2,336 Fines imposed H.K.$271,236.20 H.K.$364,651.00 Fines paid H.K.$11,883.82 H.K.$1,800.81 Persons committed for trial 66 2,903 Persons imprisoned by magistrates 2,114 263 Persons deported 769M 134
6. The extent of the traffic in opium and dangerous drugs in Hong Kong is enormous, but during the year under review the export aspect of the traffic in opium decreased considerably owing to (a) the China Incident, and (b) the European War. The former cut off the supplies of Chinese raw and prepared opium, and as a result the price of the illicit commodities increased considerably during the year. The latter produced an effective control of all shipping which considerably hampered the illicit traffic.
In addition, the strict censorship established over cable and postal matter tightened up the control of the illicit traffic in opium and drugs.
7. No raw materials are cultivated in Hong Kong.
8. There is no manufacture of opium or dangerous drugs in Hong Kong. Prepared opium sold by the Government Monopoly is manufactured in Singapore, from stocks of raw opium in Singapore owned by the Hong Kong Government, under the Bangkok Agreement.
9. Two types of prepared opium are sold in Hong Kong by the Government Monopoly, (a) Kam Shan and (b) Singapore blend. The former is the balance of the stock of a luxury type made in Hong Kong in 1932. It is sold to registered and rationed smokers and no new names are added to the register. There are fifty-two of these smokers and they consumed 102 kilograms during the year. They pay H.K.$80 for a three tael (four ounces) tin of this opium. The Singapore blend is sold through thirteen Government and eleven licenced shops at H.K.$12 per tael. No smoking of opium is allowed in these shops and 3,048 kilograms were sold through them during the year. There no rationing of sales from these shops and the num- ber of purchasers or smokers of this opium is unknown but 5,505 individual purchases were counted on three consecutive days in December. The gross revenue from the sales of opium was H.K. $1,028,269.76 and the profit on the year's working of the monopoly shown on a detailed balance sheet in a form approved by the Permanent Central Opium Board of the League of Nations was H.K. $300,709.44. It should be noted however that raw opium used to prepare the opium sold was purchased some years ago and is shown at no book value in this account. Purchases of raw opium will be made in 1940 which will considerably reduce this profit. The 1939 sales of prepared opium were much higher than in recent years-in fact there has been no profit on sales for a long period.
10. Imports and Exports Department and Police Department prosecutions for opium and drugs were as follows:-
Number of cases
Number of persons charged
Fines imposed
Fines paid
Persons committed for trial
Persons imprisoned by magistrates
Persons deported
Table II
Opium
2,837
Dangerous drugs.
2,196
3,265
2,336
H.K. $271,236.20 H.K.$364,651.00
H.K.S 11,883.82 H.K.$ 1,800.81
66
2,903
2.114
263
769
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