TNAG-1709-FCO40-2384-Hong-Kong-narcotics-offences-and-drug-trafficking-1988 — Page 62

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HONG KONG

Summary. The Hong Kong Government (HKG) continued its effective cooperation with the U.S. on narcotics matters during the first six months of 1987, including the extradition of one well-known American cocaine trafficker. In addition, the Executive Council approved in principle a bill which would make possible limited seizure of assets of narcotics traffickers. Finally, the HKG announced

that the number of new youthful narcotics users had declined during the past year.

End summary.

During the first half of 1987, the Hong Kong Government continued to

to pursue its four-point strategy against narcotics use with impressive results. The HKG, which believes enforcement, education, treatment and international cooperation form an effective mix of policies,

of policies, announced

announced last April that the number of new users reported under the government's information-gathering program had dropped 22 percent from 1985 to 1986. Also, the number of new users under 22 years of age dropped 17 percent during the same period.

This drop is in part the reflection of an effective enforcement effort. During the first four months of

the year HKG enforcement agencies seized 59.1 kilograms of Heroin Number Four, 33.5 kgs. of Heroin Number Three, 25 kgs. of heroin base, 11 kgs. of opium, 283.6 kgs. of marijuana and 2.0 kgs. of cocaine. While complete statistics on arrests are not available, during an average month (May) HKG enforcement agencies made 1,964 arrests in 3,096 narcotics operations. Of those arrests 799 were for drug trafficking.

Because of the effectiveness of the enforcement effort, mainly directed against heroin, there is some concern that "soft" drug abuse is rising, especially among young people. The HKG is now planning to expand its school talks program to include more material on marijuana and other so-called soft drugs during 1987.

Further strengthening of the enforcement effort appears likely. The HKG announced that the Executive Council had approved, in principle, a bill which would permit fines of varying amounts for each month of a jail sentence a convicted narcotics trafficker serves, and would permit seizure of assets to pay the fines.

In addition, the HKG showed its continuing cooperation with the U.S. in extraditing a well-known cocaine trafficker to the U.S. SO he could stand trial on a continuing criminal enterprise charge. That the HKG argued for extraditing the trafficker on a charge which had no equivalent locally,

and