ENG-1965 — Page 201

PUBLIC ORDER

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excise controls required in respect of the manufacture or distribution of these dutiable items within the Colony.

The service is responsible for suppressing the illicit import and export of narcotics by land, sea and air, and approximately one- third of its total strength is engaged on this work. Liaison is main- tained with the Narcotics Bureau on all aspects of narcotics suppression. All vessels arriving in Hong Kong from ports where drugs are suspected of being smuggled are boarded and searched by Preventive Service officers. They remain on board many of these vessels while in Colony waters to prevent drugs being smuggled ashore.

In 1965 a total of 728 ships were guarded throughout their stay in the harbour, 1,178 were searched, and 43 seizures were made of narcotics on ships. The estimated value of narcotics seized by the Preventive Service from all sources in 1965 was $622,652. At the airport the Preventive Service searches incoming aircraft, goods and baggage. Particular attention is paid to those which arrive from, or have passed in transit through, known sources of narcotics.

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