XN000022-1981-07-23 — Page 9

THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1981

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CUSTOMS OFFICERS COMMENDED

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THE PROFESSIONALISM OF TWO CUSTOMS OFFICERS AT KAI TAK AIRPORT HAD A SEQUEL TODAY (JULY 23) WHEN THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE, MR WALTER NEIL, PRESENTED THEM WITH CERTIFICATES OF COMMENDATION.

THE ALERTNESS OF A SENIOR CUSTOMS OFFICER, MRS WONG LI PUI-HAR, LED INITIALLY TO THE SEIZURE OF 1.6 KILOGRAMMES OF HEROIN BASE AND THE ARREST OF THE DRUG COURIER, AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO THE SMASHING OF A DRUG SYNDICATE. FOLLOWING FOUR MORE ARRESTS ANOTHER 2.1 KILOGRAMMES OF HEROIN BASE WERE SEIZED.

IT WAS ON JULY 8, THAT MRS WONG WAS CHECKING THE LUGGAGE OF A MALE PASSENGER, WHICH INCLUDED 36 PLASTIC CONTAINERS OF HAIR CREAM. ON EXAMINING THE CONTAINERS, SHE FOUND THAT HER SUSPICION THAT THERE WERE CAVITIES IN THE BOTTOM OF EACH CONTAINER WERE JUSTIFIED WHEN SHE DISCOVERED THE HEROIN.

+HER INITIATIVE AND DILIGENCE ENABLED OFFICERS OF THE AIRPORT INVESTIGATION SECTION TO NEUTRALISE THIS DRUG SYNDICATE,+ SAID MR NEIL.

TODAY'S COMMENDATION WAS THE SECOND AWARDED TO MRS WONG, WHO HAS BEEN A CUSTOMS OFFICER FOR NEARLY 13 YEARS.

IN 1976 SHE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ARREST AT KAI TAK OF TWO DRUG SMUGGLERS WHO HAD CONCEALED OVER SEVEN KILOGRAMMES OF MORPHINE IN THE INSULATION OF AN ICE BUCKET, THE PADDING OF FIVE FOLDING CHAIRS, AND IN PACKETS OF DRIED PORK.

ALSO COMMENDED TODAY WAS CUSTOMS OFFICER, LEE YUET-TONG, WHO JOINED THE SERVICE NINE YEARS AGO.

AFTER A MALE PASSENGER WAS SEARCHED AT KAI TAK ON JUNE 24, MR LEE BECAME SUSPICIOUS AND INITIATED A MORE DETAILED SEARCH, WHICH RESULTED IN THE DISCOVERY OF OVER 203 GRAMMES OF HEROIN BASE WHICH THE COURIER HAD HIDDEN IN HIS BODY.

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