XN000022-1983-04-13 — Page 18

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 1983

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COMMERCIAL CRIME FIGURES

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THE NUMBER OF INVESTIGATIONS UNDERTAKEN BY COMMERCIAL CRIME BUREAU WERE 809 IN 1980, 1 094 IN 1981 AND 1 149 IN 1982, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON JOHN GRIFFITHS SAID TODAY.

REPLYING TO QUESTIONS BY THE HON WONG PO-YAN, HE SAID THE AMOUNT OF MONEY REPORTED LOST BY THEFT OR FRAUD IN THE CASES WERE $108 286 004 IN 1980, $151 299 883 IN 1981 AND $258 098 082 IN 1982.

NO STATISTICS HAD BEEN KEPT ON THE NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTIONS BUT A STUDY OF THE POLICE FILES COULD BE UNDERTAKEN FOR AN ANSWER, HE SAID.

MR GRIFFITHS ALSO SAID THAT THE LAW IN A NUMBER OF AREAS WAS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW.

+FOR INSTANCE, THE SECRETARY FOR MONETARY AFFAIRS AND THE COMMISSIONER FOR SÉCURITIES ARE CURRENTLY REVIEWING THE POSITION UNDER THE ORDINANCE DEALING WITH DEPOSIT TAKING COMPANIES AND WITH COMMODITY TRADING.

+THE AREA OF THE LAW COVERING PYRAMID AND INERTIA SELLING IS ALSO UNDER EXAMINATION AT THE MOMENT.

+I ANTICIPATE IN DUE COURSE SOME AMENDMENT OF THE LAWS WILL BE FOUND NECESSARY IN EACH OF THESE AREAS, HE CONCLUDED.

63 NEW OFFENCES CREATED IN 1981

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SIXTY-THREE NEW OFFENCES WERE CREATED BY ORDINANCES ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1981, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON JOHN GRIFFITHS, SAID TODAY.

+A FURTHER 106 OFFENCES WERE CREATED BY SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION LAID ON THE TABLE OF THIS COUNCIL. THE FIGURES FOR 1982 ARE 78 AND 184 RESPECTIVELY, HE SAID.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LO TAK-SHING.

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