ENG-1999 — Page 365

PUBLIC ORDER

in 1999. To cope with the increase in both passenger and cross-boundary traffic, operating hours at the Man Kam To Control Point for non-goods vehicles were extended by two hours from April 1, so that it opened from 7 am to 10 pm. The Lok Ma Chau Expansion Project Phase 1 was completed in December. Five inbound and five outbound kiosks were added to facilitate the movement of goods vehicle traffic. Two additional through train services between Hong Kong and Guangzhou were introduced in 1999, including one electrified double-deck train service. This brought to eight the number of return through train services between Hong Kong and Mainland: Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhaoqing, Shanghai and Beijing.

A newly franchised Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre, situated at the southern perimeter of the Hong Kong International Airport, began operation in September, providing a full range of business aviation services for private or chartered aircraft and helicopters. Customs clearance is provided in the centre for passengers and crew members.

Smuggling

In 1999, the department detected 512 smuggling cases, arrested 496 persons and seized contraband goods worth $377 million. Smuggling between Hong Kong and the Mainland remained a cause of concern.

Goods commonly smuggled to the Mainland included left-hand drive vehicles (LHDVs), vehicle spare parts, electrical appliances, diesel oil and video compact discs (VCDs). The total quantity of LHDVs seized was 27, compared with 81 in 1998. There was a resurgence in the use of tai feis (speed boats) for smuggling. Smuggling of diesel oil to the Mainland continued to be serious in the first half of the year, and about 2.6 million litres of illicit diesel oil were seized in this period. The situation was contained in the second half of the year as a result of anti-smuggling operations mounted at sea both in the Mainland and the HKSAR, and only two million litres were seized. Smuggling of electrical appliances recorded a rising trend. The total value of seizures increased from $17 million in 1998 to $25.55 million. In a single case detected in March, the department seized electrical appliances valued at $20 million. Inbound smuggling involved mainly cigarettes and frozen meat. During the year, Hong Kong was also exploited as a transit point for smuggling counterfeit cigarettes. Altogether 112.3 million counterfeit cigarettes, originating in the Mainland and being sent via Hong Kong to a number of countries, were seized. The total quantity of frozen and chilled meat seized was 556 183 kilograms, compared with 728 493 kilograms in 1998. Close liaison was maintained with the police and overseas law enforcement agencies in the exchange of intelligence and this 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 control points yielded good results.

Training

All recruits to the Customs and Excise Department go through basic training at the department's training school at Tai Lam. During the year, 67 Inspectors and 300 Customs Officers passed out of the school. Apart from induction training, the department provides specialist training necessary for its staff to discharge their duties in investigation and prosecution. It also organises training courses for other customs

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