ENG-2000 — Page 374

PUBLIC ORDER

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among some younger members of society. As a consequence, ketamine was reclassified from a Part I Poison to a dangerous drug in December.

The burgeoning 'dance party' scene and the abuse of psychotropic substances such as MDMA and ketamine by a section of party-goers presented a new challenge to the Police Force during the year. A new enforcement strategy was adopted to counter the threat in respect of psychotropic substances and the situation was effectively brought under control.

Action against narcotics drug trafficking and abuse saw 16 heroin attenuation centres dismantled and 339.3 kilograms of heroin seized in 2000. In respect of psychotropic substances, enforcement action resulted in the seizure of 378 621 MDMA tablets, 226.7 kilograms of herbal cannabis, 87.6 kilograms of methylamphetamine (‘ice') and 15.3 kilograms of ketamine. A total of 10 139 persons were arrested for drug offences during 2000, compared with 8 733 in 1999.

Financial investigations to recover the proceeds of drug trafficking resulted in $62.8 million being confiscated by the courts and $65.9 million being paid to the Government to fulfil outstanding confiscation orders. Furthermore, $19 million was restrained pending confiscation.

The Narcotics Bureau of Police Headquarters was restructured and streamlined during the year and is now better equipped to run intelligence-led operations and respond to the challenges posed by the fluid illicit drug situation. The Narcotics Bureau maintained close liaison with Mainland authorities in order to detect cross- boundary trafficking, resulting in six successful operations, the seizure of 359.1 kilograms of heroin, 300 kilograms of ‘ice', and 19 arrests. In the international arena, close liaison with counterparts from Australia, Canada, Germany, Malaysia, Fiji and the United States to disrupt international drug trafficking continued to produce good results. International co-operation resulted in several successful operations resulting in the seizure of 756.04 kilograms of heroin, 114 kilograms of 'ice', 30 kilograms of amphetamine, 17 kilograms of 'ecstasy' and 19 arrests.

Crime Prevention

The Crime Prevention Bureau continued to provide a public advisory service on crime prevention. It conducted 25 805 security surveys for both the public and private sectors during the year.

The bureau also provided an educational service to the public through campaigns and seminars, provision of call-fax and web-page services and the deployment of the Robotcop and the crime prevention bus in various districts.

Crime Information

The Criminal Records Bureau maintains criminal records on people convicted of crime in the HKSAR. In 2000, 90 530 new conviction records were filed.

The bureau indexes information on wanted or missing persons, and outstanding warrants of arrest. This information is available to Police Force members through the Enhanced Police Operational Nominal Index Computer System (EPONICS) that the bureau maintains round-the-clock. Other records and indices maintained in the bureau include missing vehicles, a computerised suspect album library which assists. victims and witnesses in identifying suspects, an index of crime information sent to