Kong vulnerable to drug smugglers.* It is virtually impossible to search every passenger, cargo consignment, mail parcel or fishing junk coming into Hong Kong. However, with the ever increasing co-operation from other countries, including those where the drugs originate, it is hoped that Hong Ko will be able to make further in-roads in curtailing the supplies of drugs within its territory.
*In 1976, 25,096 aircraft and 8,071 ocean-going vessels arrived in Hong Kong, bringing with them more than 4.3 million passengers and 17.5 million metric tons of cargo. In addition, some 5,500 locally-based fishing vessels made their way in and out of Hong Kong all the year round.
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Chapter 6
Illicit Trafficking of Drugs into Hong Kong
Attempt to resurrect Thai trawler traffic
The use of Thai fishing trawlers had been the most commonly used method of large-scale importation of illicit drugs into Hong Kong for about ten years until late 1974 when a number of the major drug-syndicate heads were arrested, whilst others fled overseas or went into hiding. These events completely disrupted the importing and financing organization of the illicit trade, causing an abrupt stoppage of the Thai trawler traffic. The regular monthly shipments of a ton or so of opium, and a few hundred pounds of morphine were then replaced by numbers of individual couriers using the sea and air routes from Thailand, each carrying several pounds of morphine, or more recently, heroin.
2 In 1976, however, the prospects of vast profits which arose as a result of spiralling drug prices evidently tempted some traffickers to try bulk importations once more. The seizure of a large consignment of opium and morphine on a junk off Kwai Chung in May was the first open indication of the resumption of the Thai trawler traffic. (See illustration on p. 58.)
3
Police information indicated that the renewed efforts to use Thai trawlers for bulk imports were made by former high-level distributors who had amalga- mated to raise the required capital. As far as establishing their connections in Thailand was concerned, they were assisted by persons who were previously employed by former major drug importers.
4
Their endeavours were, however, far from being successful. Seven shipments were intercepted by the Police Narcotics Bureau and the Preventive Service during the year, and 3,250 kilogrammes of raw opium and 175 kilogrammes of morphine were seized.
Increasing use of individual drug couriers
5
Attempts to maintain supplies by the use of small-scale, high-frequency imports were clearly demonstrated by the dramatic increase in the number of drug couriers arrested at the Hong Kong International Airport and on board ocean-going vessels calling at Hong Kong during the year. At the airport, 69 incoming couriers were arrested and over 200 kilogrammes of drugs were seized in 1976, compared with 18 arrests and about 140 kilogrammes of drugs seized in 1975. At the seaport, 40 people, who were either crew members or passengers on incoming ocean-going vessels, were arrested, and about 120 kilogrammes of drugs were seized in 1976, compared with only 2 arrests and about 5 kilogrammes of drugs seized in the previous year.
6
Ocean-going vessels were, in some cases, used for smuggling relatively large quantities of drugs. One example was the Japanese freighter "Solar Continental Maru" which was found to have more than 100 kilogrammes of opiate drugs separately hidden in a water tank and in a large canister designed for holding inflatable life rafts. The drugs were worth over $16 millions on the retail market. Both the captain and the chief officer were sentenced to 12 years imprisonment.
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