ENG-1974 — Page 163

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PUBLIC ORDER

The former Juvenile Protection Office was effectively merged with the bureau during the year resulting in the responsibility for the juvenile liaison scheme being transferred to the districts.

The General Investigation Office deals with a wide variety of cases including matters referred by other government departments, as well as organised gambling and vice. Notable investigations included a commercial eavesdropping, an abortionist, and cases involving foreign prostitutes.

In the field of organised gambling, direct action resulted in 70 raids conducted against establishments resulting in the arrest of 1,816 persons and the seizure of $118,239. In connection with prostitution, 104 raids were carried out and 463 persons arrested.

In respect of indecent or obscene magazines and newspapers 65 summonses were taken out. Heavy fines and temporary suspension of printing press licences have made the publishers somewhat more cautious.

The office also takes action against unregistered doctors, dentists and clinics and 41 premises were entered under warrant resulting in the arrest of 39 persons for a variety of offences, particularly the operation of unlicensed clinics under the Anti- biotics Ordinance and the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance.

More than 360 reports requiring investigation were received from other govern- ment departments, principally from the Immigration Department, Registration of Persons Office and the Registrar General's Department.

The Homicide Squad, formed in 1972, continued to investigate cases of a pro- tracted and complicated nature as well as those cases with international ramifications.

Included among the fraud cases investigated by the Commercial Crime Office was one involving the apparent mis-appropriation of about $15 million by a com- pany's senior officer who has since left Hong Kong. Another case reported during the year involved complaints arising from the operations of a company trading in commodity options. These arose when one of the directors and three persons described as consultants to the company left Hong Kong and monies due to investors were not paid. Sixty-five clients complained that they paid the company US$760,518 for the purchase of commodity options and that they were owed US$1,067,167.52 arising from these transactions.

Government action to combat the counterfeiting of watches included the forma- tion, in December 1973, of a watch committee under the chairmanship of the Deputy Director of the Commerce and Industry Department. The trade investigation branch of the Commerce and Industry Department now shoulders the main responsibility for action in this field. This is because of the trade nature of this type of offence. One of the effects of this decision has been to free the Commercial Crime Office to con- centrate on frauds, counterfeit currency and forgeries. Police continue to lend their full support to the Commerce and Industry Department in this, both in terms of active operations when manpower permits, and in linking the Interpol network to the efforts of the department and the police force.