ENG-1998 — Page 370

PUBLIC ORDER

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Boundary Control

Cross-boundary vehicle traffic remained steady at about 26 770 vehicles per day. Passenger traffic increased by 9.8 per cent compared with 1997 to 114 882 734. To cope with the increase in vehicular traffic, operating hours at Sha Tau Kok Control Point were extended by two hours and it opens from 7 am to 8 pm. After a review of passenger traffic, Lo Wu Control Point's operating hours were extended by an hour from 6.30 am to 11.30 pm daily.

Operating hours at Lok Ma Chau Control Point for passengers, coaches, buses and automobiles were extended by one hour and it opens from 7 am to 10 pm. To facilitate goods vehicle traffic with effect from October 15, goods vehicles which were previously restricted to Man Kam To or Sha Tau Kok Control Points were permitted to use the 24-hour Lok Ma Chau Control Point after the other two crossings close at night. Separate arrangements were made for vehicles conveying vegetables, meat and poultry. Further studies are being made to facilitate cross-boundary transport.

Railway services from Hong Kong to Beijing and Shanghai and increased services between Hong Kong and towns in Guangdong province were augmented in August 1998 by the introduction of new, electrified double-deck trains between Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Following the renovation of Hung Hom Station, customs clearance of passengers now takes place in separate arrival and departure halls.

With the opening of the new airport at Chek Lap Kok on July 6, Customs personnel were increased from 545 to 1 061 to cope with 24-hour operation and extra responsibilities there. A new computer system for air cargo clearance costing $175 million was developed to enhance efficiency and to assist the development of the air cargo industry.

Smuggling

In 1998, the department detected 447 smuggling cases, arrested 491 persons and seized contraband goods worth $237 million. Smuggling between Hong Kong and the Mainland remained serious.

Goods commonly smuggled to the Mainland included motor vehicles, vehicle spare parts, marked oil, video compact discs (VCDs), music compact discs (MCDs), telecommunication equipment, film products, audio-visual equipment, electrical appliances and computer accessories. There was an upsurge of smuggling VCDs, MCDs and marked oil to the Mainland. Seizures of marked oil increased sixteenfold from 166 200 litres in 1997 to 2 953 340 litres in 1998.

Inbound smuggling involved mainly cigarettes, diesel oil, live pigs and meat as well as chilled and frozen poultry products. Seizures of meat rose by 258 per cent from 213 675 kilograms in 1997 to 765 736 kilograms in 1998. Following the outbreak of 'Avian Flu' in December 1997, there was an increase in smuggled chilled and frozen poultry from the Mainland and seizures of this item rose by 249 per cent from 208 870 kilograms in 1997 to 728 488 kilograms in 1998. Close liaison was maintained with the police and overseas law enforcement agencies for the exchange of intelligence and this has contributed considerably to successful operations against smuggling. Close co-operation with Mainland Customs on exchange of information, operational assistance and mounting of parallel operations at the boundary crossing points. yielded good results.