XN000022-1992-06-06 — Page 2

SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 1992

1-

ORGANISED CRIME BILL REVISED

*

TOUGH NEW LEGISLATION PROPOSED IN THE 1991 WHITE BILL ON ORGANISED CRIME HAS BEEN REVISED TO INCLUDE NEW INVESTIGATIVE POWERS.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (SATURDAY), A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE NEW MEASURES WERE AMONG SEVERAL CHANGES MADE TO REFLECT VIEWS AND COMMENTS GATHERED DURING THE CONSULTATION PERIOD HELD TOWARDS THE END OF LAST YEAR ON THE 1991 WHITE BILL.

"WHILE THERE WAS GENERAL SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSALS TO IMPOSE HEAVIER PENALTIES, INTRODUCE A MONEY LAUNDERING OFFENCE AND PROVIDE FOR CONFISCATION OF THE PROCEEDS OF CRIME, THERE WERE DOUBTS THAT SOME NEW OFFENCES COULD BE PROSECUTED SUCCESSFULLY, HE SAID.

"I

ALSO, PROVING MEMBERSHIP OF AN ORGANISED CRIME GROUP RELIED ON CERTAIN PRESUMPTIONS WHICH MIGHT BE CHALLENGED AS CONTRARY TO THE BILL OF RIGHTS, HE ADDED.

THE WHITE BILL DEFINED AN ORGANISED CRIME GROUP AS A TRIAD SOCIETY OR TWO OR MORE INDIVIDUALS ASSOCIATED TOGETHER SOLELY OR PARTLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF REPEATEDLY COMMITTING OFFENCES SUCH AS ILLEGAL GAMBLING, PROSTITUTION, DRUG TRAFFICKING, EXTORTION AND BLACKMAIL.

AS A RESULT OF THE CONCERNS, THE REVISED BILL WILL EXCLUDE PROVISIONS WHICH INVOLVE PROVING THAT A PERSON WAS A MEMBER OF AN ORGANISED CRIME GROUP WHEN HE COMMITTED A SPECIFIED OFFENCE.

"RECENT EXPERIENCE WITH VIOLENT CRIME HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT EVEN A SINGLE CRIME CAN HAVE A GRAVE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY, AND MAY WARRANT THE APPLICATION OF POWERS PROPOSED IN THE BILL, HE SAID.

41

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT EVEN IF THE TARGETS FOR THE BILL WERE ACTS OF ORGANISED CRIME GROUPS, IT WAS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE ΤΟ KNOW, AT THE START OF AN INVESTIGATION, WHETHER THE OFFENDERS HAVE REPEATEDLY COMMITTED OFFENCES.

**WE WILL ACHIEVE OUR AIMS BY FOCUSING THE BILL ON ORGANISED CRIMES COMMITTED BY TWO OR MORE INDIVIDUALS, EVEN ON A ONE-OFF BASIS,' HE SAID.

ORGANISED CRIME WILL BE DEFINED AS TWO OR MORE PERSONS COMMITTING A SPECIFIED OFFENCE, OR ONE, OR MORE THAN ONE, PERSON INCITING ANOTHER TO COMMIT AN OFFENCE.

"THIS DEFINITION, WHICH INCLUDES ONE-OFF OFFENCES COMMITTED BY MORE THAN ONE PERSON, WILL ENCOMPASS MOST OF THE OFFENCES COMMITTED BY TRIAD SOCIETIES," SAID THE SPOKESMAN.

HOWEVER, HE SAID THAT NO AMOUNT OF NEW LEGISLATION WOULD REDUCE THE TRIAD MENACE UNLESS THE POLICE HAD ADEQUATE POWERS TO INVESTIGATE ORGANISED CRIME.

/"POLICE OFTEN