XN000022-1995-04-10 — Page 3

said.

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"International standards are evolving quickly and we need to keep in step," he

Amendments proposed for this purpose include the establishing of a criminal offence of dealing in property, knowing that it represents the proceeds of drug trafficking,

The Bill also introduces powers for authorised officers to seize specified property being imported into or exported from Hong Kong which represents the proceeds of drug trafficking.

"Hong Kong is committed to depriving criminals of their ill-gotten gains and preventing money laundering," Mr Sinclair said.

Relevant professional associations in the legal and financial sectors have been consulted on the Bill.

"Where appropriate their suggestions have been accepted and relevant changes made to the Bill," the Commissioner said.

Many provisions in the Organised and Serious Crimes Ordinance are modelled closely on the Drug Trafficking (Recovery of Proceeds) Ordinance. To maintain the correspondence, it is proposed to amend these in parallel.

The two Bills will be introduced into the Legislative Council on April 26.

End/Monday, April 10, 1995

Initial report on HK under the Convention Against Torture now available

The initial report on Hong Kong under the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Degrading or Inhuman Treatment or Punishment will be tabled at the Legislative Council on April 19.

The report covers the legislative, administrative, judicial and other measures that have been taken by the Hong Kong Government to prevent any acts of torture, as defined in article 1 of the Convention, from being committed in Hong Kong.

"The Convention which was ratified by the United Kingdom Government in 1988, was extended to Hong Kong in December 1992," a Government spokesman said.