TNAG-0418-FCO40-464-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 140

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

G.F. 323

0003230

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mostly No. 3 heroin.

All the opium illicitly imported

is consumed locally. Most of the heroin manufactured in Hong Kong is also consumed locally, though there is a limited export to other places - the North American Continent, Europe, the U.K., etc. How much raw opium and crude morphine is illegally and clandestinely smuggled into Hong Kong each year can only be guessed, but it could be as high as 35 to 50 tons of the former and 10 to 15 tons of the latter.

7. No cannabis is grown in Hong Kong and illicit import is

small.

8. The opiate problem in Hong Kong is a serious social one with perhaps as many as 100,000 addicts in a population of 4 million, or 2%. Economically the existence of this problem is not perceptible and its effect is very hard to judge.

9. Vigorous law enforcement action is taken to prevent the

illicit import of drugs but this is only partially successful. Very much gets through. 41 heroin refineries have been neutralised during the past decade, but they are easily replaced.

10. Hong Kong is examining every possible means of interdicting

the illicit traffic, syndicate distribution and the clandestine manufacture of heroin. International action is required to deal with illicit opium growing and traffick- ing beyond the Colony's jurisdiction.

Illicit traffic in drugs of abuse

11. All Hong Kong's opium products came from the so called

golden triangle. The smuggling methods have been described in detail to the Committec (See paragraph 6).

Drug abuse

12. See paragraph 8.

There has been very little noticeable change in pattern over the last decade. Hong Kong's opiate problem is a Far Eastern one involving mainly Chinese (ethnic Chiu Chau) and Thai's. Caucasians are not involved in this traffic, though some are concerned in the export of heroin, coming to the Colony to arrange purchases. (See paragraph 6).

Laboratory services

13. These are of a high standard and satisfactory overall.

Frontier agreements

14. There are none. China is not involved in the illicit

narcotics trade at all and no drugs have entered the Colony from China since 1950 so far as we are aware.

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