XN000022-1984-01-19 — Page 7

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1984

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HK'S ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS RECOGNISED BY UN AGENCY

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THE INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD IN ITS REPORT FOR 1983 DRAWS ATTENTION TO THE IMPORTANT ROLE PLAYED BY THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY IN DRUG PREVENTIVE EDUCATION.

THE REPORT NOTES THAT THE COMMUNITY IS +COMBINING ITS RESOURCES WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO PROVIDE IMAGINATIVE CAMPAIGNS DIRECTED AT SPECIFIC VULNERABLE GROUPS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE CENTRAL REGISTRY DATA+.

THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF HONG KONG IN PROVIDING TREATMENT FOR ADDICTS IS ALSO RECOGNISED.

+A WIDE RANGE OF TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION SERVICES HAS BEEN DEVELOPED OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES, THE MOST EXTENSIVE OF WHICH IS THE METHADONE OUT-PATIENT PROGRAMME RUN BY THE HONG KONG MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

+IN ADDITION, A COMPULSORY TREATMENT PROGRAMME IS OPERATED BY THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, IT SAYS.

REFERRING TO THE PROGRAMMES PROVIDED BY SARDA AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS, THE REPORT NOTES THAT VOLUNTARY IN-PATIENT PROGRAMMES AND A VARIETY OF AFTERCARE SERVICES ARE OFFERED BY NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS.+

THE COMPUTER ISED CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ABUSE, RUN BY THE NARCOTICS DIVISION OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, IS ALSO MENTIONED.

THE REPORT NOTES THAT THE FINDINGS OF THE REGISTRY IN IDENTIFYING TRENDS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ADDICT POPULATION ARE CONSIDERED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WHOLE ADDICT POPULATION AND HAVE PROVIDED A BASE FOR POLICY FORMULATION.

IN ANALYSING THE DRUG CONTROL SITUATION IN HONG KONG, THE REPORT SAYS, +DESPITE LARGE SEIZURES, HEROIN CONTINUES TO BE EASILY AVAILABLE AND PRICES HAVE DROPPED. HEROIN IS SMUGGLED FROM THAILAND IN BULK BY SEA, MAINLY IN THE FORM OF HEROIN BASE.

+THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT THE USE OF TRAWLERS TO SMUGGLE IN LARGE CONSIGNMENTS HAS RESUMED.+

THE REPORT ALSO REFERS TO THE POLICE FORCE (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE 1983, WHICH PERMITS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS ON THE EXISTENCE OF POSSIBLE BANKING ACCOUNTS, SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES OR OTHER PROPERTY HELD IN CUSTODY WHEN THERE IS REASONABLE CAUSE TO SUSPECT THAT AN INDICTABLE OFFENCE HAS BEEN COMMITTED.

THE REPORT OBSERVES THAT AMENDMENT IS EXPECTED TO PROVIDE A USEFUL TOOL TO IDENTIFY TRAFFICKERS' ASSETS.

IN ITS OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT WORLD SITUATION, THE BOARD DESCRIBES THE MENACE OF DRUG ABUSE AS HAVING REACHED UNPRECEDENTED DIMENSIONS.

/IT SAYS,