XN000022-1982-06-30 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 1982

3.

AIM TO DETER USE OF SHIP FOR DRUG SMUGGLING

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THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE DANGEROUS DRUG (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL 1982 IS TO DETER TRAFFICKERS IN DANGEROUS DRUGS FROM USING SHIP TO CARRY ON THEIR NEFARIOUS TRADE, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

IN MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL, MR DAVIES EXPLAINED THAT IT IMPOSES SANCTIONS ON THE OWNERS OF SHIPS WHICH ARE FOUND ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION TO HAVE SMUGGLED EXCESSIVE QUANTITIES OF DRUGS INTO HONG KONG.

THE SANCTIONS ARE A MAXIMUM FINE OF $5 MILLION, AND IF THE PENALTY IMPOSED BY THE COURT IS NOT PAID, THE SHIP MAY BE FORFEITED TO THE CROWN.

HE SAID THAT SINCE THE DISRUPTION OF THE SYSTEM OF SMUGGLING DRUGS INTO HONG KONG BY THAI TRAWLERS IN 1974, TRAFFICKERS TURNED TO THE USE OF INDIVIDUAL COURIERS TO SMUGGLE DRUGS. +ONE OF THE METHODS FAVOURED WAS THE USE OF OCEAN-GOING VESSELS, HE SAID.

BETWEEN 1974 AND THIS MONTH, 675 SEIZURES OF 670 KILOGRAMMES OF ILLICIT DRUGS HAVE BEEN MADE ON BOARD 231 VESSELS, RESULTING IN 104 ARRESTS. FORTY-THREE OF THESE SEIZURES INVOLVED LARGE QUANTITIES OF DRUGS, PRINCIPALLY OF OPIUM AND HEROIN, 14 OF WHICH WERE MADE ON FOUR VESSELS BELONGING TO ONE COMPANY. HE EXPLAINED THAT EIGHT OF THESE 14 SEIZURES WERE MADE ON ONE SHIP, AND FIVE OF THEM IN LESS THAN SIX MONTHS. SHIPS OF THREE OTHER COMPANIES WERE ALSO REPEATEDLY INVOLVED IN SMUGGLING DRUGS FIVE TIMES (IN 12 MONTHS) AND TWICE (IN FOUR MONTHS) AND AGAIN TWICE (IN 30 MONTHS) RESPECTIVELY, HE SAID. BECAUSE OF THE USE OF INGENIOUS HIDING PLACES, USUALLY IN PUBLIC AREAS, NO ARRESTS WERE MADE IN MANY CASES.

+SO, DESPITE THE EFFORTS OF THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE, THE SEIZURES HAVE HAD LITTLE REAL DETERRENT WITHOUT IDENTIFICATION OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE NOTHING BEYOND SEIZURE OF THE DRUGS HAS BEEN POSSIBLE.

+THESE VESSELS CONTINUE TO BE USED FOR CARRYING ILLICIT DRUGS AND UNDER THE EXISTING LAW NO POSITIVE ACTION CAN BE TAKEN AGAINST THEM, + MR DAVIES SAID.

THIS SITUATION, MR DAVIES SAID, IS UNACCEPTABLE ESPECIALLY BECAUSE DRUG ABUSE REPRESENTS A CONTINUING SOCIAL MENACE TO THE COMMUNITY, AND PARTICULARLY TO YOUNG PEOPLE.

+THE GOVERNMENT HAS CONCLUDED THAT EFFECTIVE DETERRENT MEASURES TO COUNTER THIS EVIL TRAFFIC MUST BE INTRODUCED, + MR DAVIES SAID.

AFTER CAREFUL AND LENGTHY CONSIDERATION OF THE ISSUE AND SOME ALTERNATIVE METHODS, IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF DEALING WITH THIS MENACE IS BY AMENDMENT OF THE DANGEROUS DRUGS ORDINANCE TO IMPOSE FINANCIAL PENALTIES ON THE OWNER OF THE SHIP WHICH IS FOUND TO HAVE CARRIED EXCESSIVE QUANTITIES OF DRUGS ON TWO OCCASIONS WITHIN A PERIOD OF 18 MONTHS- IF THE PENALTY IMPOSED BY THE COURT IS NOT PAID, THE SHIP MAY BE FORFEITED TO THE CROWN.

/A MAXIMUM