XN000022-1991-05-06 — Page 14

MONDAY, MAY 6, 1991

13

CRIMINALS THE TARGET OF ANTI-SMUGGLING MEASURES

* *

THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-SMUGGLING MEASURES ARE DIRECTED. AGAINST CRIMINALS WHO PARTICIPATE IN SMUGGLING ACTIVITIES, THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS AND EXCISE, MR TONG KANG-SING, SAID THIS (MONDAY) EVENING.

SPEAKING AT A MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF THE TERRITORIES, MR TONG SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD NO INTENTION ANY UNREASONABLE RESTRICTIONS ON BUSINESSMEN WHO CONDUCTED ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES,

NEW

TO IMPOSE LEGITIMATE

"THE POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT ALL ALONG HAS BEEN TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG OPERATES AS A FREE MARKET WITH A LOW TAX RATE AND AS LITTLE INTERFERENCE WITH TRADE AS POSSIBLE.

"IT IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF

PROTECTING LAW-ABIDING BUSINESSMEN THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS SO DETERMINED TO CONTROL SMUGGLING, HE SAID.

MR TONG SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ALSO CONTINUE TO REGULARLY REVIEW MEASURES AGAINST THESE ACTIVITIES AND STRENGTHEN EXISTING REGULATIONS IF THERE WAS SUCH A. NEED.

THE NEGATIVE EFFECT OF SMUGGL ENG WAS NO LESS THAN THAT OTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, HE SAID.

OF

SMUGGLERS STEERED AT HIGH SPEED IN HONG KONG WATERS REGARDLESS

OF THE SAFETY OF OTHER VESSELS AND, BESIDES SMUGGLING LARGE QUANTITIES OF ELECTRICAL GOODS, THEY WERE ALSO

IN ENGAGED TRANSPORTING ILLEGAL [MMIGRANTS, DANGEROUS DRUGS, ARMS AND OTHER CONTROLLED ITEMS.

"SHOULD THE FLOW OF THESE ITEMS INTO THE TERRITORY INCREASE

AND THE IMPACT ON LAW DRASTICALLY, THE SOCIAL EFFECTS WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT, HE SAID.

AND ORDER

SAID THE AS REGARDS ECONOMIC LOSSES TO THE TERRITORY, MR TONG

DISTORT LARGE QUANTITIES OF SMUGGLED ITEMS COULD

IMPORT AND EXPORT AND FIGURES, THUS MAKING THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY DIFFICULT TO ASSESS LOSING GOVERNMENT REVENUE FROM TRADE DECLARATIONS.

HE SAID THERE COULD ALSO BE A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF REVENUE

A DUTIABLE COMMODITIES, AND ILLEGALLY IMPORTED FOODS COULD BE TO HEALTH.

MR TONG SAID THAT, ACCORDING TO FIGURES SUPPLIED BY CRIME COMMITTEE, IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT GOODS SMUGGLED LAST HONG KONG TO CHINA WERE VALUED AT $50 BILLION.

THE

FROM HAZARD

FIGHT YEAR FROM

"IF EXPORT OF THESE GOODS HAD BEEN DECLARED, THE DECLARATION

THUS, THE FEES WOULD HAVE RAISED $25 MILLION.

EFFECT OF SMUGGLING UPON THE ECONOMY CAN BE CONSIDERABLE, HE SAID.

MR TONG SAID SMUGGLING BETWEEN CHINA AND HONG KONG ONE-WAY PROBLEM.

WAS NOT A

/"AT ABOUT