TNAG-0417-FCO40-463-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 60

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HONG KONG STANDARD

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OCT 13th

73

*HK joins secret

i

plans in fight

against drugs

HONGKONG will join Thailand and the United States to set up a secret plan of attack aimed at Asia's

top drug traffickers.

This was indicate yesterday by Mr J.B. Lees, Director of Criminal Investigation, on his return from the 42nd General Assembly of Interpol on International Crime in Vienna.

But Mr Lees was tight-lipped about the "secret strategy" and would not be drawn on how the joint nation venture would work.

"If I did reveal details of the surprise we have in store for drug runners, it would be giving the game away," he said.

However, Mr Lees, in an interview with the Standard, expressed glowing confidence when asked of the success of discussions with Thailand and the US.

Asked how sympathetic the Thais were towards the mammoth drug problem in Hongkong, Mr Lees replied: "I discussed specific problems with them and they were very co-operative. "We are on most friendly terms with the Thai authorities and indications arg that they are working successfuly on drug problems at the movement.'

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He added that he was pleased with the contacts he had made during the week-long ¿, Interpol session. “I now know who I should talk to in dealing with specific matters that's going a long way in 'gaining' co-operation.

During the annual general assembly, Hongkong put up two proposals which were accepted. "We could only pul up suggestions because we are a sub-delegation," Mr Lees explained.

"We proposed that there should be more comfűttée mark at flu-e eneral assemblies,” het said. "This was accepted and they now intend to deal with i committee work and plenary sessions at the same time to be more effective and save time. We also suggested that the

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agendas be more tightly drawn and be more specific so that delegates could avoid generalities.'

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+ The second proposal concerned the question of acitic anhydride. The CID chief explained that acitic anhydride was a substance which came in either crystal or liquid form, used mainly in the production of heroin. He said that acitic anhydride was used internationally by drug traffic-

.kers.

"We have been urging

control of this substance for a long time," Mr Lees said. "Rather like opium and morphine, Hongkong does not produce it itself. It is all imported."

CRUX

Mr Lees added that the problem was not so much to stop acitic anhydride from entering Hongkong, but to make it more easily recognisable when it does come in. He said that between 10 and 15 tons of acitic anhydride is smuggled into Hongkong each year.

"At the moment, it can be imported through industrial chemicals of under some other general name used as a cover."

"Now we have successfully

passed a resolution, that there should be monitoring to prevent neitic anhydride getting into the. wrong hands."

"We're excited that our idea has been reached proposal stage, and we now hope that some governments will be stirred up enough to do something about the problem.'

"The wheel Shas been fashioned,” added Mr Lees. "Now, it's up to somebody to turn it,i

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HKK 19/3.

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