TNAG-0561-FCO40-656-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 13

E.R.

CONFIDENTIAL·

Te

This would allow up to seven

It seemed unlikely that the

im

trawler was on its way to Hong Kong. days grace for arrangements to be made. Thai Officer would need to be stationed permanently in Hong Kong. He could be flown there as soon as such intelligence was received and need remain only for the period of each operation. The chances of an interception would be significantly proved if tracking devices became available. The had, however, already been successful

sighting and interceptions and the scheme was viable even in the

absence of such devices. There was a risk that the sightings might alert a trawler and lead it to dump its illicit cargo. The volume of this cargo however (perhaps 21 tons) and the fact that it would have had to be carefully concealed would make such a dumping operation a lengthy one and there was a reasonable expectation that a physical interception could be made in advance of such action.

6.

The critical stage of the operation would be the interception itself. Legally, the Thai Police Officers authority would be based on the trawlers breach of the conditions of its fisheries licence (which restricts its operations to Thai waters) and on the reasonable suspicion that the trawler was smuggling drugs (the whole character of the operation made this suspicion a near certainty) If no drugs were found this would only be because for some reason they had been dumped before the interception. In any event, the fisheries contra-

Thai ponce vention would remain to contraband the type afdrese officers authority.

found

7. When the Royal Naval vessel met the trawler and the Police officer called on it to permit him to come on board the reaction might be ostensibly friendly or hostile and in the latter event the hostility might be active or passive. What action would RN be prepared to take in these various contingencies? If the trawler was actively hostile would RN be prepared to retaliate and effectively facilitate a boarding (the nature of the boarding is discussed in the following paragraph). If the trawler was passively hostile, ie if it simply ignored the challenge and attempted to sail on, would RN be prepared to take such steps as might be necessary (eg a warning shot) to effect a boarding? Only if the reception was ostensibly friendly would no problems arise

for RN at this stage of the operation.

2

CONFIDENTIAL