TNAG-1102-FCO40-1352-Smuggling-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-or-Taiwan-1981 — Page 5

G.S. 84

Recommendation

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The Director of Trade, Industry and Customs' recommendation is supported. Although there seems to be insufficient concrete proof, the circumstantial evidence strongly suggests that Mr Ng has chosen to petition the Governor under section 30(1) rather than earlier lodge a claim with the Director of Trade, Industry and Customs under section 27(5) because of either or both of the following possible reasons:

(a)

(b)

Mr Ng has never been owner of the goods but has been put forward as a "front" to claim the goods in view of his age and personal circumstances;

Mr Ng wished to avoid the more stringent examination of the circumstances of the case (including his professed ownership of the goods) in the ensuing court proceedings if a claim had been lodged under section 27(5).

It should also be mentioned that paragraph 10 of the petition is inaccurate in saying that the petition is in response to the Director of Trade, Industry and

RESTRICTED

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