ENG-2019 — Page 307

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Public Order

enforcement agencies worldwide. Cyber security drills, seminars and campaigns were organised to raise awareness of cyber threats.

Dangerous Drugs

The police adopt a multi-agency approach, enlisting community support to combat drug abuse and trafficking. During the year, 1,923 persons were arrested for drug offences, mostly involving methamphetamine (27 per cent of the arrests), also known as Ice, and cannabis (16.7 per cent).

The Narcotics Bureau maintains a strategic partnership with counterparts in Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies. During the year, joint operations resulted in the seizure of 184.5kg of illicit drugs. The bureau formulates strategies regularly to address challenges posed by newly emerged dangerous drugs.

Financial Investigation

The Financial Investigations Division and the Joint Financial Intelligence Unit combat money laundering and terrorist financing (ML/TF) activities, while the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment Unit conducts corresponding risk assessment exercises. During the year, 101 persons were convicted of money laundering offences, with criminal assets of about $180 million restrained and $113 million confiscated.

In September, the international Financial Action Task Force published the Mutual Evaluation Report of Hong Kong, commending Hong Kong's efforts and confirming that the city had a strong legal foundation and effective system for combating ML/TF. The report noted that the system was particularly effective in risk identification, law enforcement, asset recovery, counter- terrorist financing and international cooperation. The Hong Kong regime was assessed to be compliant and effective overall, making it the first jurisdiction in the Asia-Pacific region to achieve an overall compliant result in the latest round of evaluation.

Forensic Support

The Identification Bureau collects and compares fingerprints, examines firearms, takes photographs and gathers DNA evidence from crime scenes to support crime investigations and prosecutions. In 2019, fingerprint evidence linked 1,289 persons to 1,177 criminal cases.

Liaison

The Liaison Bureau is the designated contact point with law enforcement agencies of the Mainland, Macao, Taiwan and overseas countries on all police-related matters. As a sub-bureau of the Interpol National Central Bureau China, it deals with Interpol-related matters.

The bureau handles requests on crime investigation, mutual legal assistance, the surrender of fugitive offenders, and notifications under a reciprocal notification mechanism with the Mainland,

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