ENG-2014 — Page 314

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Public Order

Ketamine and methamphetamine continued to be the most commonly abused drugs in Hong Kong, accounting for 58 per cent of the 4,432 persons arrested for dangerous drugs in 2014.

To tackle transnational drug trafficking, the Narcotics Bureau (NB) maintained its strategic partnership with the Mainland and overseas LEAS. These joint efforts led to the dismantling of 26 drug production and storage sites, and seizure of 1,126 kilograms of illegal drugs in the region.

The emergence of new drugs continued to pose challenges to regulators and LEAs around the globe. Co-ordinated by the Security Bureau, the NB has been working closely with other stakeholders to assist in amending related legislation and devising timely and effective intervention strategies.

Financial Investigation

The Joint Financial Intelligence Unit (JFIU) and the Financial Investigations Division (FID) under the NB proactively combat money laundering and terrorist financing activities and 143 persons. were convicted of money laundering offences in 2014, with $311.5 million of criminal assets restrained and $204.1 million confiscated.

The JFIU and FID also took part in international conferences of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering and the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units. To implement the FATF's recommendations, the NB established a Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment Unit to assist in co-ordinating risk. assessment exercises in Hong Kong.

Forensic Support

The Identification Bureau provides fingerprint collection, firearms examination and photography services and collects DNA evidence from crime scenes to support crime investigations and prosecutions. In 2014, it linked 572 persons to 498 criminal cases.

Liaison

As the designated contact point with LEAs in the Mainland, Taiwan, Macao and overseas countries, the Liaison Bureau (LB) communicates with their liaison officers stationed in Hong Kong for all police-related matters. In addition, the LB operates as a sub-bureau of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau China in dealing with all INTERPOL-related matters in Hong Kong.

To strengthen international law enforcement co-operation to combat cross-boundary crime, the police signed a number of co-operation agreements with overseas strategic partners, including a Memorandum of Understanding on combating international crime with the Indonesian National Police in November. During the year, the police mounted an arrest operation in collaboration with INTERPOL, the Singapore Police Force and the Philippine National Police which neutralised various 'sextortion' (or 'naked-chat' extortion) syndicates.

Counter Terrorism

The police maintained a high degree of vigilance and a state of operational readiness commensurate with the prevailing terrorist threat level. They also maintained close liaison with

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