TNAG-0820-FCO40-1027-Narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 205

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MEMORANDUM

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MISS RITA NIGHTINGALE

COMMENTARY ON A LETTER AND MEMORANDUM DATED 30 JUNE 1978 AND A LETTER DATED 12 JULY 1978 ADDRESSED TO THE RT HON MRS BARBARA CASTLE MP BY MR DAVID HALLMARK OF THE PORTIA TRUST.

1. The first letter, dated 30 June 1978, suggests that Mr Hallmark believes that information other than that already made known to him enabled the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Service to arrive at the conclusion that "Chan was identified as the escort, Rita as the courier and Yip as co-ordinator and they were suspected to pick up This is not certain quantity of narcotics in Bangkok for Europe".

the case. There was no information on Chan, Nightingale and Yip available to the Customs and Excise Service before 17 March 1977. The telexes to alert the French and Thai authorities were based purely on analysis of intelligence gathered by routine observation on that day at the Kai Tak Airport and on investigations the following day,

i.e.

(a) all three had obtained their tickets from the same source,

(b) the occupations of Chan (hotel room-boy) and Yip (seaman) which

suggested the possible roles they played,

(c) it is not uncommon for non-Chinese couriers to be used in inter-

national drug-trafficking.

The Hong Kong Customs authorities have emphasised that this case was one of the many in which, after routine intelligence is analysed, and the possibility of international trafficking is indicated, the rele- vant foreign authorities are alerted.

2.

The Hong Kong Customs report does not mention the possible con- versation between Rita, Yip and Chan at the airport because, after the lapse of time, the relevant officers could not positively state that the three were seen together, or therefore that they had been in conversation. The analysis outlined above had by itself afforded sufficient grounds for a telex to alert the Thais and the French. The supposed conversation was later mentioned in the memorandum to the Police because, as enquiries developed, it was thought by some Customs and Police officers that the possible contact between the three might,

But it now appears after all, have an important bearing on the case.

that the Officeri/c Customs (Mr K.S. Tong) had never attached much

/weight

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