XN000022-1986-02-12 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1986

IN RESPONSE TO THIS LATEST DRUG-SMUGGLING TACTIC, CUSTOMS OFFICERS HAVE STEPPED UP INTELLIGENCE-GATHERING WITH COUNTERPARTS IN THE REGION. THEY ARE ALSO INSPECTING MORE SHIPMENTS OF CARGU FROM SUCH COUNTRIES AS JAPAN, TAIWAN, KOREA AND CHINA AND ARE CHECKING MANIFESTS MORE CLOSELY.

MR TONG DESCRIBED 1985 AS +A YEAR OF STEADY YIELDS+, IN THE BATTLE AGAINST ILLICIT DRUGS.

CUSTOMS OFFICERS SEIZED 315 KG OF DRUGS WITH EA STREET VALLE OF 343 MILLION LAST YEAR. TOTAL DRUG SEIZURES FOR THE YEAR EY BOTH THE CUSTOMS SERVICE AND THE POLICE AMOUNTED TO 621 KG.

SEIZURES OF DRUGS BY THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT ROSE BY SIX PER CENT LAST YEAR COMPARED WITH 1984 SEIZURES. A TOTAL OF 315 KG OF DRUGS COMPRISING 90 KG OF HEROIN BASE, 48 KG OF HEROIN, 33 KG OF OPIUM AND 144 KG OF CANNABIS AND CANNABIS RESIN WERE CONFISCATED.

MR TONG SAID THAT THE FAVOURITE METHOD OF SMUGGLING

DRUGS INTO HONG KONG CONTINUED TO BE THE SEA ROUTE BECAUSE OF HONG KONG'S EASY ACCESSIBILITY BY SEA. ONE EXTENSIVELY USED TACTIC INVOLVES THAI TRAWLERS WHICH DROP THE IR CARGO OF DRUGS CLOSE TO HONG KONG WATERS. THE DRUGS ARE THEN PICKED UP BY LOCAL FISHING VESSELS.

AMONG OTHER POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS, MR TONG CITED THE FACT THAT NO SIGNIFICANT DRUG SEIZURES HAD BEEN MADE LAST YEAR ON BOARD OCEAN-GOING VESSELS. HE SAID THIS ATTESTS TO THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF THE SANCTION LAW ON SHIPOWNERS WHICH CAME INTO EFFECT IN JANUARY 1983.

THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION GIVES THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS AND EXCISE THE POWER TO ACT AGAINST CHARTERERS AND OWNERS OF VESSELS EXCEEDING 250 GROSS TONNES IF EXCESSIVE QUANTITIES OF DANGEROUS DRUGS ARE FOUND.

BEFORE THIS LAW WAS INTRODUCED, OCEAN-GOING VESSELS WERE FREQUENTLY USED TO SMUGGLE DRUGS AND THE CULPRITS WERE DIFFICULT TO NAIL DOWN BECAUSE THE DRUGS WOULD INVARIABLY BE CONCEALED IN PUBLIC AREAS TO WHICH CREW MEMBERS HAD EASY ACCESS.

PRINCESS ALEXANDRA TO VISIT HK

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HER ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCESS ALEXANDRA, AS HONORARY COMMANDANT GENERAL OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE, WILL VISIT HONG KONG FROM APRIL 9 TO 14, 1986 ACCOMPANIED BY HER HUSBAND, THE HON ANGUS OGILVY.

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