ENG-2002 — Page 393

PUBLIC ORDER

Tau Kok Control Points commenced in June and is scheduled for completion by September 2003, for expediting the processing of vehicles.

In order to cope with the increasing demand on passenger and vehicular traffic at the land boundary control points, the Government has extended the operating hours of the Lok Ma Chau and Lo Wu Control Points since December 2001. The operating hours of the southbound and northbound lanes for goods vehicles were also extended. The arrangement facilitated better flow of cross-boundary vehicles and passengers. A series of measures has also been introduced in phases at the control points to streamline the goods vehicles clearance procedures. As a result, the average clearance time for a laden goods vehicle has been reduced from 45 seconds to 33 seconds and that for an empty goods vehicle from 20 seconds to 16 seconds.

To facilitate the smooth flow of air-land intermodal transhipment cargo from the Hong Kong International Airport to the Mainland, a one-stop customs clearance service has been provided since August 2000. Special and expeditious customs clearance arrangements have also been provided to facilitate the operation of the Marine Cargo Terminal at the airport for processing air-sea intermodal transhipment cargo to and from the Pearl River Delta in the Mainland since April 2001. The first cross-boundary ferry service for transit passengers between the Hong Kong International Airport and ports in the Pearl River Delta is scheduled to commence operation in the first quarter of 2003. Simplified clearance procedures will be put in place to expedite the passenger flow.

The department has been preparing for the provision of customs services at the Container Terminal 9, being constructed on the south-eastern shore of Tsing Yi Island. Customs facilities and services will be ready when the first berth comes into operation, which is scheduled for 2003.

Anti-smuggling Operations

In 2002, the department detected 228 smuggling offences, arrested 284 persons and seized contraband goods worth $288 million. Smuggling between Hong Kong and the Mainland remained a cause for concern. The duty gradient leading to price. differences between Hong Kong and the Mainland was still the main reason underlying the problem.

Goods commonly smuggled to the Mainland included computers and accessories, electrical and electronic appliances, vehicles and vehicle spare parts, marked oil and edible oil. In 2002, two left-hand drive vehicles and 16 motorcycles were seized. Smuggling of electrical and electronic appliances to the Mainland was still rampant during the year. The total value of such goods seized increased from $30.52 million in 2001 to $38.72 million in 2002. Smuggling of computers and accessories recorded a downward trend and the total value of seizures decreased from $51.08 million in 2001 to $37.57 million in 2002. Containers, tractors and lorries were frequently used in syndicated smuggling activities with contraband concealed inside false compartments as well as within the tractor trailers. Smuggled goods were also found concealed in driving compartments and vehicle toolboxes.

Cigarettes, narcotic drugs and counterfeit goods were the main items being smuggled into Hong Kong from the Mainland. Altogether, officers seized 83.8 million sticks of illicit cigarettes originating in the Mainland.

The capability of the department in curbing smuggling by using cargo containers and lorries, especially those with false compartments, has been much enhanced since

325