ENG-2004 — Page 419

Public Order | 357

plants, synthetic petrol plants and storage places for such fuel. Surprise checks were also conducted to detect the use of illicit fuel in road vehicles.

Resulting from the department's vigorous enforcement action, the number of black spots for illicit fuel activities continued to be restricted to around 27. The department closed 997 illicit oil filling stations, nine marked oil detreating plants and four synthetic petrol plants. A total of 976 people were arrested. Altogether, 1.7 million litres of various types of illicit fuel, valued at $13.27 million, were seized, a decrease of 30 per cent and 26 per cent respectively as compared with 2003. The decline in the quantities of illicit fuel seized was attributed to the department's effectiveness in combating illicit fuel activities, causing distributors and peddlers to reduce stock. The duty potential of the seized illicit fuel also dropped by 40 per cent to $5.54 million, as compared with 2003.

Anti-narcotics Operations

The department continued to take vigorous enforcement action to prevent and suppress the unlawful manufacture, distribution and trafficking of dangerous drugs, and to trace, confiscate and recover proceeds accrued in illegal drug activities. It also enforces the Control of Chemicals Ordinance, which aims at preventing the diversion of chemicals for illicit manufacture of dangerous drugs and psychotropic substances.

The Customs Drug Investigation Bureau is the department's major investigative arm in combating illicit drugs. The bureau's main functions are to conduct investigations and surveillance to combat illegal manufacture, trafficking or use of drugs. In addition, the department works closely with the Police Force and various drug enforcement agencies in other jurisdictions in exchanging intelligence and arresting drug criminals.

In 2004, the department dealt with 83 drug trafficking cases, and neutralised one heroin attenuating centre and 19 drug distribution centres. Officers seized 11.8 kilograms of heroin, 111.2 kilograms of cannabis, 13.2 kilograms of cocaine, 11 kilograms of methamphetamine ('ice'), 4.8 kilograms of ketamine, 116 477 tablets of MDMA ('ecstasy') and 26 701 tablets of other psychotropic drugs. A total of 700 people were arrested for drug-related offences. The department actively participated in joint operations with international drug enforcement agencies. As a result, 783.6 kilograms, 65 370 tablets and 17.8 litres of various drugs were seized and 37 traffickers arrested in operations overseas.

Boundary Control

In 2004, vehicular traffic movements through the three land boundary control points at Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok increased by 9.9 per cent to 14.48 million compared with 2003.

Hong Kong and Mainland Customs authorities jointly designed a paper-based 'unified manifest' for the convenience of the cross-boundary transportation industry to submit to the two Customs administrations. The unified manifest sets out all the information required by the two Customs administrations and hence saves the time and effort of filling out two separate manifest forms. The manifest was put on trial