ENG-2000 — Page 372

PUBLIC ORDER

312

attributable to the vehicles being broken into parts for supply to the illicit local market. The strengthening of boundary control checks by Mainland authorities, coupled with strong local enforcement measures, has contained the surge.

Organised Crime and Triads

The organised crime and triad situation remained stable as in previous years. Triads were involved mostly in extortion, loansharking, wounding, illegal gambling, prostitution and debt collection. There were 2477 triad-related cases which represented only 3.2 per cent of the overall reported crime in 2000. The figure has been dropping in the past five years, the average of which was 3.9 per cent.

The number of crimes related to debt collecting decreased to 2 466, compared with 3 323 in 1999, after a major illegal cross-boundary debt collection/loanshark syndicate was neutralised with the assistance of Mainland authorities. Strategies and procedures for handling crimes related to debt collecting were streamlined to enhance their effectiveness.

During the year, 20 people were charged with offences under the Organised and Serious Crime Ordinance and $782,243 in crime proceeds was confiscated. A further $96 million was restrained pending court proceedings. Close liaison with Mainland authorities and overseas law enforcement agencies was maintained in the fight against international money laundering, resulting in the successful detection of a number of

cases.

There were six successful applications for increasing the prison sentences passed on defendants involved in triad-related and organised crimes. On average, the length of sentence was increased by 30 per cent.

Witness Protection

The Witness Protection Ordinance came into effect on November 9. The ordinance established the Witness Protection Programme, which is administered by the Police Witness Protection Unit. The unit provides a wide range of protective measures, including a change of identity, which are tailor-made to the needs of individual witnesses assessed as being exposed to a genuine physical risk.

Child Protection

In 2000, the five Regional Child Abuse Investigation Units (CAIU) investigated 113 cases 101 of sexual abuse and 12 of physical abuse. Joint investigations were conducted with officers of the Social Welfare Department in cases that required immediate social work intervention.

Interviews of children take place in one of the five child-friendly video interview suites located in non-police premises. These suites have advanced facilities for forensic examinations.

In 2000, the Police Force and the department organised a joint training programme for 24 police and social welfare officers in special investigation matters relating to child protection. Officers from the Child Protection Policy Unit also gave lectures at public education and prevention programmes for parents and concerned professionals from governmental and non-governmental organisations.

The Child Protection Policy Unit maintains close liaison with overseas governmental and non-governmental organisations in exchanging information on