XN000022-1986-02-12 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 19.0

SMUGGLERS VARY THE DRUG TRAIL

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DRUG TRAFFICKERS, RELYING ON SUPPLIES FROM THE +GOLDEN TRIANGLE+, ARE TURNING TO MORE ELABORATE SMUGGLING ROUTES IN A BID TO EVADE DETECTION.

THE WARNING CAME TODAY FROM THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (INVESTIGATIONS), MR K.S. TONG, WHO SAID THE INCREASING USE OF CIRCUITOUS ROUTES IN CARGO SHIPMENTS TO SMUGGLE DRUGS INTO HONG KONG EMERGED AS ONE OF THE MORE WORRYING TRENDS OF LAST YEAR.

MR TONG SAID THERE WERE DISQUIETING SIGNS THAT THIS TACTIC, THOUGH NOT ALTOGETHER NEW, WAS BECOMING MORE POPULAR WITH DRUG SYNDICATES.

THE BULK OF THE OPIATE DRUGS THAT FEED HONG KONG'S ADDICTS ORIGINATE FROM THE +GOLDEN TRIANGLE+, A MOUNTAINOUS REGION WHERE THE BORDERS OF THAILAND, LAOS AND BURMA MEET. EUT INSTEAD OF SHIPPING THE DRUGS DIRECTLY FROM THE PRODUCING COUNTRIES TRAFFICKERS ARE SWITCHING TO LONGER, MORE CIRCUITOUS ROUTES AND TRANSHIPPING THEIR ILLICIT CARGOES THROUGH NON-PRODUCING COUNTRIES, SUCH AS JAPAN, TAIWAN, KOREA AND CHINA,

BY MASKING THE ORIGIN OF THE SHIPMENT, THE TRAFFICKERS HOPE

TO THROW CUSTOMS OFFICERS OFF THEIR TRAIL,

THE SAME PLOY IS BEING USED BY TRAFFICKERS TRYING TO SMUGGLE CANNABIS INTO HONG KONG FROM THE PHILLIPINES, MR TONG SAID.

HE SAID THAT IN DECEMBER 126 KG OF CANNABIS, WITH AN ESTIMATED STREET VALUE OF $7 MILLION, WAS DISCOVERED ON A SHIP THAT HAD SAILED FROM THE PHILLIPINES VIA TAIWAN, WHICH IS A NON-PRODUCING COUNTRY.

THE DRUG, THE BIGGEST SEIZURE OF CANNABIS IN HONG KONG, WAS FOUND IN THE CAVITIES AND TELEVISION CATHODE RAY TUBES OF USED VIDEO GAMES MACHINES IN A CONTAINER.

IN JANUARY THIS YEAR, CUSTOMS OFFICER FOUND 20 KG OF CANNABIS, VALUED AT $1.1 MILLION HIDDEN IN FURNITURE FROM THE PHILLIPINES THAT HAD BEEN TRANSHIPPED THROUGH TOKYO, ANOTHER NON-PRODUCING COUNTRY, TO THE KWAI CHUNG CONTAINER TERMINAL.

+WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS METHOD OF SMUGGLING WHICH MAKES DETECTION AN EVEN MORE DIFFICULT JOB.

+TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SHIPS COME INTO HONG KONG EVERY YEAR, AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO SEARCH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT DO NOT COME FROM SUSPECT PORTS, SAID MR TONG.

/IN RESPONSE