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Public Order

A secretariat assists the commissioner in performing the commissioner's statutory duties, which include overseeing and conducting reviews of the compliance by LEAs and their officers with the ordinance's relevant requirements; carrying out examinations upon application from persons who suspect that they are subjects of interception or covert surveillance conducted by LEAs; giving notifications to those affected in cases of interception or covert surveillance without the authority of a prescribed authorisation; and making recommendations to the Secretary for Security on the code of practice issued under the ordinance and to the heads of LEAs to better carry out the objects of the ordinance and the provisions of the code of practice.

The commissioner submits annual reports to the Chief Executive with statistical information and the commissioner's assessment of the overall compliance with the ordinance's requirements during the year. The annual report for 2013 was submitted to the Chief Executive in June 2014 and tabled in the Legislative Council in November 2014.

Narcotics Division

The Security Bureau's Narcotics Division (ND) co-ordinates policies and measures to combat the drug problem. It also oversees anti-money laundering measures relating to the detection of physical cross-boundary transportation of currency and bearer negotiable instruments and the regulation of designated non-financial businesses and professions on customer due diligence and record-keeping requirements.

Overall Strategy and Co-ordination

The government adopts a five-pronged strategy in fighting drug abuse: preventive education and publicity; treatment and rehabilitation; legislation and law enforcement; external co- operation; and research.

The Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN), a non-statutory body, advises the government on anti-drug strategies. Chaired by a non-official, ACAN comprises 17 non-official members from the medical, legal, education, media, business, community and social service sectors, and six official members (the Commissioner for Narcotics and representatives from the Education Bureau, the Hong Kong Police Force, and the departments of Customs and Excise, Health and Social Welfare). Under a reciprocal appointment arrangement between Singapore and Hong Kong, the Director of Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau also sits on the committee. ACAN has two subcommittees: on preventive education and publicity; and on treatment and rehabilitation.

Preventive Education and Publicity

The ND's main theme for anti-drug preventive education and publicity in 2014 remained 'Stand Firm! Knock Drugs Out!! The ND's territory-wide campaign against youth drug abuse (launched in collaboration with Radio Television Hong Kong) included radio programmes featuring celebrities and young drug rehabilitees, a radio and stage drama promoting anti-drug messages, a large-scale event at the MacPherson Stadium in Mong Kok and a parental programme to promote parents' awareness of the problem of youth and hidden drug abuse.

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