ENG-1988 — Page 288

PUBLIC ORDER

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During the year, 144 kilograms of opiate drugs and cannabis were seized, including 35 kilograms of No. 4 heroin, 42 kilograms of No. 3 heroin, one kilograms of heroin base, 56 kilograms of opium, and 10 kilograms of cannabis. In addition, 277 tablets of assorted synthetic dangerous drugs, mainly methaqualone, were seized. A total of 1 780 persons were charged with drug offences. As a result of information passed to overseas enforcement agencies, 37.4 kilograms of dangerous drugs were seized and 28 persons arrested outside Hong Kong.

Anti-Smuggling Operations

The service carries out import and export controls at all entry points, and patrols Hong Kong waters. Import and export cargo not properly manifested and prohibited articles not covered by licences are liable to seizure. In 1988, the service detected 153 smuggling cases under the Import and Export Ordinance and arrested 171, persons with $17.2 million worth of goods seized. Of these cases, 75 per cent related to smuggling activities between Hong Kong and China. Seizures relating to import were mainly raw silk, Chinese herbs, frozen meat and antiques whereas those for export were cigarettes, clothing and electrical goods.

Intellectual Property Rights Protection

The service is responsible for protecting the copyright of literary, dramatic and musical works. Illicit copying of motion pictures and television programmes and unauthorised photocopying of books remains a problem. In 1988, the Copyright Division made 56 copyright investigations, which resulted in 100 persons being charged. The problem of pirated sound recordings has been contained. In addition, as an offshoot of the division's activities in this field, 2210 obscene and indecent articles were seized and 10 persons charged with offences under the Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance.

The department investigates false and misleading trade marks and descriptions of commercial goods under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, and infringements of industrial design copyright under the Copyright Ordinance. During the year, the Customs Investiga- tion Bureau and the Trading Standards Investigation Bureau made 777 investigations, resulting in 733 persons being charged with offences under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance and the Copyright Ordinance. The retail of counterfeit goods such as watches, sports goods and leatherwares which at one time flourished in hawker areas, has been largely eradicated or driven underground. Fines totalled $6.58 million and prison sentences up to 154 months were imposed.

In a series of operations in the latter part of 1988, the Golden Shopping Arcade, Sham Shui Po, a notorious market for pirated computer wares, was raided for copyright infringements. This resulted in the arrest of 97 persons and the seizure of 110 208 pirated manuals and 203 633 infringing diskettes valued at $15.2 million. These operations, made possible as a result of improved co-operation on the part of copyright owners, were remarkably successful and were of great help in the fight to wipe out the malpractices.

Independent Commission Against Corruption

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) continued its three-pronged attack on corruption in Hong Kong.

In recent years, the commission's efforts have been focused increasingly on the private sector, in response to the rise in the number of corruption reports concerning that sector.

The ICAC is independent of the Civil Service, and the Commissioner is directly responsible to the Governor. But there are a number of ways in which the Commission is