XN000022-1985-12-22 — Page 5

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1985

TO EMPHASISE THE RALLY'S MESSAGE OF PEACE, A SPECTACULAR MULTI-MEDIUM SHOW ENTITLED +LOVE AND PEACE+ WAS STAGED BY THE CITY CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANY TOGETHER WITH MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG CHILDREN'S CHOIR AND STUDENTS OF THE HONG KONG ACADEMY FOR PERFORMING ARTS.

THE CLIMAX OF THE EVENING CAME WHEN THE AUDIENCE JOINED SINGER MICHAEL KWAN AND RADIO DISC-JOCKEYS IN SINGING THE PEACE RALLY THEME SONG.

STRIKE AND SEARCH UNIT GUARDS WATERS

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AMONG THE MANY DUTIES OF CUSTOMS OFFICERS IN HONG KONG IS THE PATROLLING OF TERRITORIAL WATERS AND OUTLYING ISLANDS TO PREVENT THE SMUGGLING OF CONTRABAND.

THIS IMPORTANT PREVENTIVE FRONTLINE IS MAINTAINED BY A RELATIVELY SMALL BUT WELL-TRAINED AMPHIBIOUS TASK FORCE THE MARINE STRIKE AND SEARCH UNIT OF THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE.

REORGANISED IN THE 1970'S, THE UNIT NOW HAS A STRENGTH OF SOME 170 OFFICERS AND COMMANDS A FLEET OF SEVEN LAUNCHES.

APART FROM PERSONNEL CONVEYANCE DUTIES WITHIN THE HARBOUR, OFFICERS OF THE UNIT CARRY OUT REGULAR SEA PATROLS AROUND HONG KONG AND SEARCH INCOMING AND OUTGOING FISHING VESSELS AND SMALL CRAFT FOR DANGEROUS DRUGS AND OTHER CONTRABAND.

IN THE FIRST TEN MONTHS OF THE YEAR, 21 083 VESSELS WERE SEARCHED AND 108 PEOPLE ARRESTED, WHILE LAST YEAR 23 139 VESSELS WERE SEARCHED AND 154 PEOPLE ARRESTED.

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SEIZURES ON DRUGS, ARMS AND AMMUNITION MADE BY THE UNIT LAST YEAR INVOLVED 120 KILOGRAMMES OF HEROIN BASE, 16 HANDGUNS, THREE SILENCERS AND 1 468 ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION CONCEALED IN TWO SEALED DRUMS AND A TOOL BOX, WHICH WERE DISCOVERED ON BOARD A TRAWLER INTERCEPTED BY A CUSTOMS LAUNCH OFF CHEUNG CHAU.

IN ADDITION TO THE SEIZURE OF CONTRABAND, WHICH NORMALLY INCLUDES UNMANIFESTED CARGO, DUTIABLE COMMODITIES, ARMS AND AMUNITION AND DANGEROUS DRUGS, THE UNIT ALSO PLAYS AN ACTIVE

A TOTAL OF 95 ILLEGAL ROLE AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.

IMMIGRANTS HAVE SO FAR BEEN DISCOVERED AND HANDED OVER TO THE MARINE POLICE BETWEEN JANUARY AND OCTOBER THIS YEAR.

WITH INCREASED