ENG-2001 — Page 391

PUBLIC ORDER

aged under 16. Compared with 2000, there was 15.3 per cent increase in the number of arrested persons aged under 21. In a further effort to protect vulnerable youths from psychotropic substance abuse, the Narcotics Bureau produced anti-drugs lecture packs for officers' use during regular school visits.

Financial investigations to recover the proceeds of drug trafficking continued in 2001. In total, $33.43 million was confiscated by the courts and $10.87 million surrendered to the Government to fulfil outstanding confiscation orders. In addition, $2.66 million was restrained pending confiscation. Anti-money laundering action against local syndicates remained a priority, but the global nature of drug trafficking also necessitated close co-operation with overseas law enforcement agencies. A ceremony took place in September to share confiscated drug trafficking proceeds of over $83 million, marking a success in global co-operation with the Governments of Australia and the United States in two major transnational investigations spanning 12 years.

Throughout the year, the Narcotics Bureau co-operated closely with Mainland and overseas counterparts to interdict cross-boundary and transnational trafficking, with appreciable results being achieved.

Crime Prevention

The Crime Prevention Bureau continued to provide a public advisory service, and 25 619 security surveys were conducted for both the public and private sectors.

The bureau also continued its educational role through campaigns and seminars, its call-fax and web-page services and the deployment of the Robotcop and the crime prevention bus.

Criminal Information

The Criminal Records Bureau maintains criminal records on people convicted of crime in Hong Kong. In 2001, 89 890 new conviction records were filed. The bureau also maintains the Enhanced Police Operational Nominal Index Computer System from which information on wanted people, missing persons as well as outstanding warrants of arrest is readily provided to front-line police officers round-the-clock. Other records and indices maintained in the bureau include those on missing vehicles, a computerised photo album library which enables victims and witnesses to view potential suspects, an index of crime information sent to the Police Force by members of the public and a computerised system that helps investigators to identify suspects by their modus operandi.

Forensic Firearms Examination

The Forensic Firearms Examination Bureau continued to play an important role in the investigation of firearms-related crimes by improving its quality of service both to the force and to other disciplined services departments. Since 2000, the bureau has been an accredited laboratory under the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors, which ranks it as equal in status to, for example, the laboratory of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The bureau's scanning electron microscope and its computerised bullet and cartridge identification system remained one of the most advanced pieces of equipment in the Asia in solving firearms-related crimes.

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