XN000022-1989-09-24 — Page 2

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1989

MARINE POLICE WORK IN ANTI-SMUGGLING ACTIVITIES

PROWLING FOR HIGH SPEED SMUGGLERS USING FAST BOATS IN HONG KONG'S EASTERN WATERS ARE A NIGHTLY EVENT IN MARINE POLICE OPERATIONS. ARRESTS ARE DIFFICULT AND CONDITIONS DANGEROUS AS POLICE LAUNCHES TRACK AND ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY CRAFT SMUGGLING ILLICIT CARGOS TO CHINA.

THE WATERS OF MARINE BAST DIVISION HAVE BECOME A PRIME AREA FOR THE RUNNING OF COUNTRABAND TO CHINA AND THE SMUGGLING OF NARCOTICS AND ANTIQUES INTO HONG KONG.

THE RECENT MASSIVE SEIZURE BY NARCOTICS BUREAU OFFICERS OF

420 KILOGRAMS OF HEROIN IN SAI KUNG WAS A SPECTACULAR SUCCESS IN AN ARBA IN WHICH POLICE PLAY A WAITING GAME EVERY NIGHT OF THE YEAR IN CONTINUING OFFSHORE OPERATIONS AGAINST SMUGGLERS.

COLSON, SAID:

THE MARINE EASTERN DIVISIONAL COMMANDER, MR ROD "WE ALL KNOW THAT SMUGGLING IS NOTHING NEW IN HONG KONG, IT HAS A LONG HISTORY. BUT WHAT IS NEW 19 THE GROWTH OF SMUGGLING ACTIVITIES IN HIGH POWERED SPEED BOATS USING MULTIPLE ENGINES WITH A TOTAL HORSE POWER OF OVER 700.

"SOME OF THE BOATS WE HAVE STOPPED RECENTLY WOULD NOT DISGRACE A POWERBOAT RACING EVENT.

BOATS MANUFACTURED IN HONG KONG WERE BEING MODIFIED WITH MULTIPLE ENGINES. LARGE CAPACITY FUEL TANKS AND STRIPPED ΤΟ ALLOW MAXIMUM CARGO SPACE FOR THE SMUGGLING OF TELEVISION, HI-FI EQUIPMENT AND CIGARETTES INTO CHINA, MR COLSON SAID.

ALTHOUGH POLICE LAUNCH CREWS WERE UNDER STRICT ORDERS ON THE CONDUCT OF THEIR OPERATIONS AT SEA, THE STOPPING AND ARREST OF SMUGGLERS AND THEIR CRAFT WAS SUCCESSFULLY BEING CONTINUED DUE TO MARINE POLICE EXPERT SEAMANSHIP AGAINST FREQUENTLY INCOMPETENT SMUGGLING CREWS.

"CREWS ARE BEING BROUGHT IN FROM CHINA TO CARRY THE GOODS BACK." MR COLSON SAID. "THEY ARE ONLY MULES WITH NO QUALIFICATIONS IN NAVIGATION OR ENGINEERING. THEIR SHODDY STANDARD OF SEAMANSHIP HAS HELPED US MAKE ARRESTS.

"I

A SPEED BOAT WITH THREE ENGINES TOTALLING 750 HORSE POWER AND WAS LAST MONTH STOPPED BY PL-72 UNDER THE COMMAND OF SENIOR INSPECTOR DICKY CHUNG WHEN WASH FROM THE LAUNCH CAUSED TWO OF THE SPEED BOAT'S ENGINES TO CUT OUT. THE CREW SURRENDERED.

"THAT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN ACHIEVE A SUCCESS THROUGH THE PURE USE OF EXCELLENT SEAMANSHIP. MR COLSON SAID.

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FACING FAST AND UNSCRUPULOUS ENEMIES USING CRAFT THAT ARE SOMETIMES DANGEROUSLY LOADED WITH LEAKING FUEL TANKS HAS IMPOSED STRICT CAUTIONARY ORDERS ON MARINE POLICE CREWS.

'INSTEAD OF