TNAG-0414-FCO40-460-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 109

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in the process of creating a joint United States-Laos narcotics control plan which it is intended will operate a long much the same lines as the bilateral arrangements in Thailand. While the situation in Laos from the point of view of providing narcotics exports for the international markets appears to be minimal when compared to Burma or Thailand, nevertheless Laos is a part of the 'Golden Triangle' problem requiring positive action to eradicate opium production.

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Observations

24.

The foregoing paragraphs give an outline of the situation in the opium producing countries from which Hong Kong obtains its substantial supplies of illicit narcotic drugs together with a brief description of how the illicit traffic operates from grower to consumer. From this it will be apparent that the task facing Hong Kong to interdict, or at least to reduce very substantially the inflow of raw opium and morphine base into the Colony is a formidable one which is incapable of being resolved without action at an international level. There can be no purely local solution to this problem irrespective of the counter-measures adopted; is it not possible for Hong Kong to go it alone and win, for the Colony is not the master of its own destiny in this matter.

25.

The unpalatable fact is that unless and until the illicit import of narcotic drugs into Hong Kong can be stopped, or at least severely curtailed and brought under control, it will not be possible to make other than the most minimal progress towards eradicating drug abuse from the community. Opium and heroin have been available at street level in the Colony in unlimited quantities for many years pushed by sellers aware of the techniques required to ensure that the weak and those lacking the motivation and moral fibre succumb to their bland- ishments. The Police and the Preventive Service have devoted an enormous amount of time, effort and resources to operations designed to detect at every level those who profit from dealing in narcotic drugs, while at the same time enforcing the law rigorously in respect of the possessors and consumers who are the victims of the trade. Tens of thousands of arrests have been made over the years and punishments meted out, but to no avail at all as far as making progress towards ending that illicit marcotics business is concerned and thus reducing drug abuse in the community. Since the Second World War Hong Kong has been turning a treadmill in the matter of trying to rid the Colony of narcotic drugs with the trade continuing unabated irrespective of how fast the treadmill is accelerated. This position will not change until illicit import is stopped, or at least substantially curbed.

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