TNAG-0504-FCO40-569-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 221

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11th January 1974

In my letter number (56) in this series of 29th December 1973, I undertook to let you know our views about the setting up of joint U.K./H.K./U.S. machinery to further international anti-narcotics co-operation in this region following our meeting in Hong Kong with the Americans last June. I have met with the Secretary for Security, the Police and Preventive Service and these are our thoughts.

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We now have a Narcotics Liaison Officer at the British Embassy at Bangkok who took post on 1st November, 1973. The practical outcome of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Far East seems likely to be a meeting once or twice a year of narcotics law enforcement directors in the region who will primarily be reviewing trafficking trends based upon intelligence and detected cases and what should be done to combat the situation then existing. There is close and constant liaison here between the Police Narcotics Bureau, the Preventive Service and the U.S.D.E.A. Further- more, the trawler traffic which John Ingersoll put forward as a first subject for the attention of any U.K./H.K./U.S. joint effort stopped about six months ago as a result of major losses and upheavals in Thailand mainly, though recently the D.E.A. at Bangkok has indicated that they think it may start up again within the next few months. On purely functional grounds, as we stand now, there seems little to be gained by establishing some sort of U.K./ H.K./U.S. machinery since it is only likely to duplicate what will be done by other means.

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However, for political reasons, we appreciate that it may be necessary to do this and we are quite willing to take part, like you, if the Americans insist on proceeding as apparently they do. Paragraph 2 of Andrew Stuart's letter to me, HKK 19/3 of 26th September 1973, refers. Of course, one advantage of such a forum would be that it would provide an opportunity for you and I to meet and keep each other fully abreast of the latest developments both in London and here.

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