XN000022-1988-03-17 — Page 32

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1988

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DECLINE IN VICE ACTIVITIES IN MONG KOK

SHOCK TACTICS AND STRONG ACTION BY MONG KOK CRIME FIGHTERS HAS CUT THE DISTRICT'S THREE MAJOR VICE ACTIVITIES BY HALF WITHIN A YEAR.

THE 12 MONTHS TO THE END OF FEBRUARY THIS YEAR MARKED A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN FISHBALL STALLS, UNLICENSED MASSAGE

ESTABLISHMENTS AND PORNOGRAPHIC VIDEO CENTRES.

BUT VICE STILL FLOURISHES IN ONE WOMAN BROTHELS, APARTMENT HOUSES, LADY BARBER SHOPS, ESCORT COMPANIES AND DANCE HALLS.

DISTRICT

CHIEF INSPECTOR LEUNG LAU-ON, POLICE MONG KOK OPERATIONS OFFICER, SAID "WE ARE PUTTING A STRONG EFFORT INTO THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME INVOLVING WOMEN AND JUVENILES.

"DURING 1987 WB LAUNCHED OVER 6,000 RAIDS WHICH RESULTED IN

GIRLS 1,601 PERSONS BEING CHARGED, 148 UNDERAGED

BEING LOCATED AND 109 FOREIGN PROSTITUES BEING DISCOVERED.

"WE IDENTIFIED 639 ILLEGAL PREMISES AND DISMANTLED 1,654 SIGNBOARDS ADVERTISING PROSTITUTION."

BETWEEN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR AND THE END OF JANUARY THIS YEAR MONG KOK POLICE LOCATED 77 FOREIGN PROSTITUTES, MOSTLY FROM MALAYSIA,

THE FEVERISH THAILAND AND THE PHILIPPINES. AND IN

APPROACH OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR A TOTAL OF 122 PROSTITUTES WERE

IN FEBRUARY

ALONE.

ARRESTED

THE SUCCESSFUL ELIMINATION OF VICE ESTABLISHMENTS FOLLOWED THE

SAID MR STEPPING UP OF WOMAN AND JUVENILE RAIDS FROM 30 TO 70 A DAY, LEUNG.

"BY DOING SO, WE HAVE LOCATED MORE

DISCOURAGED MORE PROSTITUTES AND

CUSTOMERS. SIGHBOARDS SERVED AS A GREAT DETERRENT AND THE POLICE ALSO BROUGHT RESULTS."

UNDERAGED GIRLS, MORE THE REMOVAL OF VICE

PRESENCE FREQUENT

OF

MR LEUNG SAID:

LAST YEAR

"THE WE

ON FIGHTING DANGEROUS DRUGS TRAFFICKING, COMMON DRUGS HERE ARE NUMBER THREE HEROIN AND MANDRAX. SEIZED OVER 4,600 GRAMS OF HEROIN AND PROSECUTED 413 PERSONS.

"THE DRUG