SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST AUGUST 18H
73
U.S. sanction
threat to HK
over drugs
HKK 19/3
!
The United States may invoke trade sanctions against Hongkong if it does not receive full co-operation in stamping out narcotic trafficking from local authorities, the leader of a Congressional probing group hinted yesterday.
The New York Congressmen, Mr Lester Woist, arrived in Hongkong yesterday with two other Congressmen, Mr Charles Rangel of New York, and Mr Fortney Stark of California. On arrival at Kai Tak, Mr. Wolff told news- men that the United States would set up trade sanctions against countries which did not co operate in the battle against drug trafficking.
When asked if the Hongkong authorities were effectively stamping out trafficking. Mr Wolff said: “Narcotic traffic is getting through, so draw your own conclusions.”
He also pointed out that it was known that there are Iaboratories in Hongkong for
· producing drups but they had "not been discovered.
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Mr Wolff said it was hoped the British authorities would allow more American narcotic agents to be based here to help 'fight drug trafficking.
A request for more agents was made recently.
"But the British authorities here seemed to think that they can tackle the problem by themselves," Mr Wolff said.
He described Hongkong's role in international drug trafficking as that of a "trans- shipment centre.”
Mr Wolff, leading the five- member Democratici Congressional team, will go to
Taipei, Seoul and Tokyo after their visit here ends on Monday,
Dressed in a mod safari jacket and a pair of yellow high- heeled shoes, Mr Wolff said he and the others would look into the question of Hongkong as a “vulnerable” spot in drug trafficking.
He said there was a war on against narcotics and the United States planned to use every available weapon to fight
it.
He admitted that the United States had been receiving en- operation from the Hongkong authorities but more had to be done because of the Colony's position as a main terminus for drug trafficking.
Mr Wolff said the large number of Hongkong drug addicts added to the problem.
Contrary to reports, Mr Wolff said he believed China Was not encouraging the narcotics flow but puded that he felt the United States could gct more co operation from China.
"China controls the coastline which can be used by
à
traffickers. It should help by checking on activities on the coastline." he said.
Mr Wolff pointed out that China had not yet joined the United Nations' efforts to fight the narcotic flow.
Mr Wolff said more than 1,000 people in New York alone died from overdoses of narcotics last year, the same number had died so far this year and the problem was on the increase.
"But the East Coast bas dried up recently because of a clampdown on poppy growing in Turkey and more control in Marseille." he said.
"All the narcotics entering the United States must be coming from somewhere else. the centrc of which is Hongkong," he added.
The recent large seizures in Thailand and the arrest of "cpium king", Lø Hsing-han. had disrupted trafficking activity but not enough to stamp it out entirely. Mr Wolfl said.
While having talks with senior Thai officials and the King of Thðsläfið, he received the impression that the Tha Government was determined to stamp out nardotic trafficking. he said.
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