TNAG-0504-FCO40-569-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 16

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7. Only

Only one case of attempted export of narcotics came to light during the latter half of 1973.

Between 28th and 31st October, 1973, the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on Illicit Drug Traffic in the Far East Region visited the Colony and held talks with senior Government and Police officers on the drug situation and counter-measures.

9. On 1st November, 1973 a senior officer from the Royal Hong Kong Police, Mr. J. P. Law, took up an appointment as Counsellor for Hong Kong Affairs at the British Embassy in Bangkok. Amongst his priorities is the improving of liaison links between the narcotics enforcement agencies of Thailand and Hong Kong to enable greater efforts to be brought to bear against the import traffic.

Manufacture

10. During the period under review one heroin manufacturing centre was discovered by the Narcotics Bureau (paragraph 20 refers). The centre was the second largest on record and although relatively unsophisticated was geared to producing large amounts of No. 3 heroin very quickly. A point of interest was the use of amidopyrine in the manufacturing process, apparently as a substitute for strychnine hydrochloride. This is the first time that amidopyrine has been found in a heroin refinery in Hong Kong.

Importation

11. Since the large seizure off the South Vietnamese Coast and the action taken by the Thai authorities resulting in the arrest of three major drug traffickers, together with that of a senior officer of the Thai Police Narcotics Agency for alleged protection of traffickers, there has been a significant change in the pattern of imports into Hong Kong. The practice of using fishing trawlers and junks to import large quantities of narcotics has almost completely ceased and in fact the last reported sailing of a Thai trawler to Hong Kong was in June 1973. This could mean we will see a return to large scale smuggling employing merchant vessels, a method used prior to 1966. Already, one seizure of 50 lbs. of morphine made in December was alleged to have been brought into Hong Kong by a merchant vessel. There have been several reliable reports of crude morphine entering Hong Kong through Kai Tak Airport, conveyed both by human couriers and concealed in luggage and air freight. The number of people passing through the airport each year exceeds one million and any one could be a potential courier. To assist customs searches the Narcotics Bureau has arranged for a morphine 'sniffing' dog to be trained and handed over to the Preventive Service.

Exportation

12. The only case of significance that came to notice was the arrest of a Chinese male trying to export 6 lbs. of No. 3 heroin from Hong Kong to Amsterdam. This case is fully reported at para- graph 28.

Storage Centres

13. A number of storage centres were discovered during the period under review and details of the more important cases appear at paragraphs 29-31. Of particular interest is the seizure described in paragraph 31, in which a quantity of No. 4 heroin was found; this was the second time within a year that No. 4 heroin has been seized by Narcotics Bureau in Hong Kong (Narcotics Bureau Bulletin, 1st Half 1973, Annexure IV paragraph 14 refers).

Synthetic Drugs

14. The abuse of amphetamines and barbiturates has continued amongst young persons and is limited to a small number of non-Chinese residents. Amongst the local community the practice is confined to bar girls, musicians and members of associated professions. As a result of the large sei- zures made in the first half of 1973 the prices on the illicit market have risen from HK$3 to HK$8 per tablet/capsule which makes the habit more expensive than the abuse of opiates.

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