ENG-2009 — Page 385

Public Order 1 313

collaborates with non-governmental organisations to help young people stay away from drugs and lead a healthy life.

Anti-smuggling Operations

Smuggling carried out across the Hong Kong-Mainland boundary remains an enforcement concern. In 2009, a total of 192 Hong Kong-Mainland smuggling attempts were detected, resulting in the arrest of 243 people and the seizure of about $406 million worth of smuggled goods.

Computer products and electronic products such as mobile phones and accessories were the common items smuggled from Hong Kong to the Mainland. Cigarettes, which are cheaper in the Mainland, and counterfeit goods were commonly smuggled from the Mainland to Hong Kong.

The department continues to collaborate with Mainland law enforcement agencies to combat smuggling activities through exchange of intelligence and mounting of parallel operations.

To detect and prevent smuggling of food and animals, the department works closely with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department through co-operation on surveillance and enforcement action, publicity campaigns and intelligence exchange.

Narcotics Division

The Security Bureau's Narcotics Division (ND) is tasked with co-ordinating policies and measures to combat drug abuse, in particular the youth drug abuse problem which had seen deterioration in recent years. It is also responsible for tackling anti-money laundering and countering terrorist financing in the non- financial sectors.

Overall Strategy and Co-ordination

The Government adopts a five-pronged approach in the fight against drug abuse, as embodied in over 70 recommendations in the Report of the Task Force of Youth Drug Abuse led by the Secretary for Justice. The strategy involves legislation. and law enforcement, education and publicity, treatment and rehabilitation, research, and external co-operation. The Path Builders initiative was launched to foster a caring culture for young people.

The Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) advises the Government on the formulation of anti-drug strategies. It is a non-statutory body composed of professionals in the medical, youth service, education, media, community service, parent education, legal and anti-drug fields. Headed by a non-official as chairman, it has five official and 17 non-official members. The officials are the Commissioner for Narcotics and representatives from the Education Bureau (EDB), the Hong Kong Police Force, the Department of Health and the Social Welfare Department. Under an arrangement between Singapore and Hong Kong, the Director of Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau also sits on the committee. ACAN is underpinned by the Sub-committee on Preventive Education and Publicity and the Sub-committee on