ENG-1975 — Page 161

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PUBLIC ORDER

the increased revenue collected from dutiable commodities and the number of seizures made during the year. Some $473 million was collected in 1974-5 compared with $441 million in 1973-4. Seizures and confiscations involved 18 illicit stills, 1948 litres of fermenting materials, 1484 kilos of tobacco, 2353 litres of liquor and 1255 litres of diesel oil. A total of 1,177 people were arrested or summoned and fines of $302,265 were imposed by the courts.

The service also has responsibilities for the prevention and suppression of illicit trafficking in narcotics and other dangerous drug abuse under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance and the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance. More than half of the service is committed to anti-narcotics activities. Apart from the interception of illegal imports by sea and air, action is taken against premises used for the manufacture, storage, sale and smoking of drugs. During the year, anti-narcotics operations led to the seizure of 306 kilos of dangerous drugs—including 35 kilos of heroin and 48 kilos of morphine. There were 2,184 people arrested in connection with narcotics offences, of whom six were charged with manufacturing and 297 with trafficking in dangerous drugs. The remainder were arrested for simple possession of narcotics or for smoking dangerous drugs in a divan. The total market value of narcotics seized was more than $7.7 million. Closely associated with anti-narcotics operations were the seizures of 3494 kilos of acetic anhydride-essential in the manufacture of heroin—which were made on land and on board an ocean-going vessel. The chemical would have had an estimated value of more than $1.5 million if sold illegally.

The Preventive Service is the sole agency for the enforcement of the Copyright Ordinance. During the year, a special copyright unit handled 81 cases connected with copyright infringement. This resulted in the seizure of 444 tape recorders, 10,103 records, 267,337 pirated tapes, and 7,189 pirated books. A total of 101 people were convicted of various copyright offences and fines amounting to $162,177 were imposed by the courts.

Independent Commission Against Corruption

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) was established on February 15, 1974, with full responsibility for the detection and investigation of corruption. Staff of the commission are not subject to the Public Services Ordinance and the Commissioner Against Corruption is responsible directly to the Governor. The commission engages its own staff and is financed from general revenue. The Advisory Committee on Corruption, which is composed mainly of leading citizens, advises the Governor and the Commissioner on major aspects of the commission's work, including policy and finance.

There are three functional branches of the commission-for operations, corrup- tion prevention and community relations. The establishment is 905 posts, of which 652 have been filled. Owing to financial stringency, activities in the community rela- tions and corruption prevention branches have had to be slowed down in order to give priority, in funds and resources, to the operations branch. By the end of 1975 the operations branch had filled 429 posts, representing 81.9 per cent of its full establishment, but the two other branches were operating at roughly half strength.