5. Narcotics Interdiction

Anti-narcotics Strategy

As a major law enforcement agency entrusted with anti-narcotics responsibilities and legislative power, the department actively detects and prevents drug trafficking in Hong Kong. The department adopts a three-pronged approach to combat drug trafficking, i.e. drug investigation, recovery of drug/crime proceeds and control of precursor chemicals used in the illicit manufacture of drugs.

The department exercises stringent control at entry and exit points to prevent the inflow of drugs and their transit through Hong Kong. Selection and inspection capabilities are supported by intelligence, computer systems, high-tech equipment and drug detector dogs. The fight against drugs is not restricted to entry and exit points only. Proactive in-depth investigations into syndicated drug trafficking activities at all levels throughout Hong Kong are also conducted through surveillance operations and collection of intelligence on targeted syndicates and individuals.

The department is also vested with the responsibility to trace, restrain and confiscate drug or crime proceeds derived from illicit activities. The prime goals are to detect and prevent drug traffickers or criminals from re-investing drug or crime proceeds to finance further drug trafficking and other criminal activities and use Hong Kong as a base for money laundering.

Being the sole agency responsible for the enforcement of the Control of Chemicals Ordinance, the department has established an effective licensing system to monitor and control precursor chemicals. Through licensing control and an international liaison network, the department strictly inhibits the illicit diversion of such chemicals at both local and global levels.

Drug Trafficking Trend

Drug traffickers took advantage of the heavy vehicular and passenger flow at the entry/exit points and the long coastal lines of Hong Kong in smuggling drugs. Narcotic drugs in bulk were believed to be imported into Hong Kong through concealment in large shipments of commercial cargoes. Small-scale trafficking involved methods like body packing, internal concealment, concealment inside various items or use of false baggage compartment. Traffickers also made use of mail and express parcels adopting diversionary routings to smuggle small quantity of drugs.

Same as 2004, ketamine is still the most prevalent drug of abuse among young persons. Ketamine seized in 2005 and 2006 were mainly from India. Traffickers disguised the drug as foodstuff in luggage or parcels, concealed inside tinfoil packages or false compartment in luggage or even bodily packed the drug. In 2005, the department arrested 53 drug couriers and seized 242.1 kilograms of ketamine. In 2006, 44 persons were arrested and 57.4 kilograms of ketamine was seized. A case with 50 kilograms of ketamine found on an outgoing tractor in 2005 indicated also a high demand of the drug in the Mainland. On the other hand, cases with seizures of several kilograms of the drug found inside the baggage of incoming passengers from the Mainland were also detected.

In the past, most ketamine reached Hong Kong overland from the Mainland. However, in 2005, there was a change of smuggling route from land to air. Trafficking syndicates smuggled ketamine into Hong Kong from South East Asian countries, in particular Malaysia and India. About 60 per cent of the 242.1 kilograms ketamine seized in 2005 were effected at the Hong Kong International Airport, and 94.7 kilograms ketamine were seized in an “Operation Bayonet” initiated to cope with the change in smuggling route. In 2006, the department seized 49.2 kilograms ketamine at the Airport which was equivalent to 86 per cent of the 57.4 kilograms ketamine seized.

Heroin remained the most common drug of abuse in Hong Kong. The heroin seized in Hong Kong mainly originated from the Golden Triangle and was transported overland to the southern part of the Mainland such as Guangdong or Yunan Provinces for stockpiling. Drug syndicates usually employed drug couriers and use lorries and private cars to smuggle heroin in small and frequent consignments into Hong Kong. Some traffickers concealed the drug inside their body cavities in order to circumvent detection. In 2005, the department arrested 10 drug couriers with 893.8 grams of heroin seized at the land boundary crossing points. In 2006 , 7 drug couriers were arrested with 867.2 grams of heroin seized at the land boundary crossing points. On the other hand, the department noticed the emerging source of heroin from ‘Golden Crescent’ (Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan) and would continue to put more efforts for combating heroin trafficking through the airport.

The sources of herbal cannabis found in Hong Kong are commonly from Cambodia and Thailand. In 2005, a total of 102.8 kilograms of cannabis were seized with 46 persons arrested. Among these cases, a storage cum distribution centre was smashed in April in which officers arrested two local men and seized 77.7 kilograms of herbal cannabis and some packing paraphernalia. In 2006, 97 kilograms of herbal cannabis were seized with 27 persons arrested. Among those cases, there were  four passengers arrested with total 85 kilograms herbal cannabis seized from their suitcases at the airport or Hong Kong-Macao Ferry Terminal.

The abuse of cannabis resin is not common in Hong Kong and the demand in the market is shrinking in recent years. In 2005, there were total 9.54 kilograms of cannabis resin being seized, whereas in 2006, 1.3 kilograms were seized.

Methylamphetamine (‘ice’) seized in Hong Kong was commonly from neighbouring countries and the Mainland, and was either for local consumption or for small-scale re-export to other countries. In 2005 and 2006, the department seized 18.5 kilograms and 555 grams methylamphetamine respectively. In January 2005, a courier and his escort were arrested at the airport with seizure of 3.8 kilograms of body-packed methylamphetamine when they were about to depart for New Zealand. Apart from this case, another passenger heading for New Zealand was arrested at the airport with 3.6 kilograms of pseudoephedrine, a precursor chemical for methylamphetamine in the same month. As a result of vigorous enforcement actions of the department, "ice" smuggling activities have been quiescent since early 2003.

Transnational ‘ice’ traffickers are trending to exploit tour groups for their wicked business. From 2005 to 2006, 7 local people were arrested and 17 kilograms of methylamphetamine, body-packed or concealed in luggage, were seized at the Airport. They all joined tour groups organized by local travel agencies for destinations in Japan, Australia or New Zealand.

The abuse of "ecstasy", once on a meteoric rise, has rapidly lost its popularity in the past two years. Other than the products from Europe, lower quality "ecstasy-type" tablets produced on the Mainland are commonly found in night entertainment venues. These "ecstasy-type" tablets contain substances such as ketamine, "ice" and other additives. In 2005, the department seized 3 285 tablets of “ecstasy”. In 2006 , the department seized 19 935 tablets and 85 grams of “ecstasy”

Cocaine, originating in South America, is commonly used among a minority of affluent sector of the community. To circumvent Customs detection, traffickers have adopted diversionary routes starting from South American countries to Europe, or the USA or South Africa, before coming into Hong Kong. Internal concealment method was common in cocaine trafficking. In 2005 and 2006, the department seized 5.2 kilograms and 9.3 kilograms of cocaine respectively.

In 2006, the department arrested nine couriers of eight different nationalities at the Hong Kong International Airport for trafficking a total of 7.2 kilograms of cocaine. Among these, three couriers concealed pellets of cocaine inside the body cavity. In July, a Peruvian woman from Brazil via Johannesburg was arrested with 99 plastic pellets of cocaine, weighting 1.4 kilograms, concealed inside her body cavity. In August, a Peruvian man from Argentina via Kuala Lumpur was also arrested with 161 plastic pellets of cocaine, weighting 1.6 kilograms, concealed inside his body cavity. In September, a Colombian man from Brazil via Johannesburg was arrested with 50 plastic pellets of cocaine, weighting 743 grams, concealed inside his body cavity.

Drug Enforcement

With the enhanced intelligence support and vigorous enforcement actions, the department achieved significant results in the suppression of drug abuse and drug trafficking activities. In 2005, the department arrested 623 drug offenders, smashed three drug attenuating centre and three distribution centres. Total seizures included 14.6 kilograms of heroin, 242.1 kilograms of ketamine, 3 285 tablets of MDMA (‘ecstasy’), 1028 kilograms of cannabis, 18.5 kilograms of methylamphetamine (‘ice’), 5.2 kilograms of cocaine and 26 940 tablets of other psychotropic tablets. In 2006, the department arrested 590 drug offenders, smashed three storage/distribution centres. Total seizures included 43.6 kilograms of heroin, 57.4 kilograms of ketamine, 19 935 tablets and 85 grams of MDMA (‘ecstasy’), 101.3 kilograms of herbal cannabis, 555 grams of methylamphetamine (‘ice’), 9.3 kilograms of cocaine and 55 181  tablets and 10.0 kilograms of other psychotropic drugs.

The department continued to play an active role in intelligence exchange and joint operations with other Customs administrations and law enforcement agencies. Significant cases effected in 2005 included seizure of 3.6 litres of liquid methylamphetamine and one arrest in Cairns, Australia; 400 grams of internally concealed heroin and one arrest in Sydney, Australia; 10 kilograms of methamphetamine, 725 grams of heroin and 4 arrests in Taiwan; 9.4 kilograms of assorted dangerous drugs including 6.9 kilograms of heroin, 3.2 kilograms of ketamine, 982 grams of methamphetamine, 244 grams of cocaine and 600 grams of herbal cannabis, some MDMA and 27 arrests in Shenzhen, the Mainland.

In 2006, our efforts on international co-operation continued to payoff. In March, in an “Operation Scenthound” joinly conducted with the Anti-Smuggling Bureau of General Customs Administration in the Mainland and the Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States, a historical bust was effected with the seizure of 141 kilograms cocaine and the arrest of 7 persons in the Mainland and 1 kilogram cocaine and the arrest of 2 persons in Hong Kong.

Financial Investigation

The department has been taking an active role in tracing proceeds derived from drugs and organized crimes, and the result is encouraging. By the end of 2005-06, the department restrained $1.64 million of drug proceeds from an international drug trafficking syndicate and confiscated $0.86 million of drug proceeds from two local drug traffickers. At the front of other serious crimes, the department restrained $80 million in seven cases ($43.09 million, $4.26 million, $5.95 million and $2.25 million of crime proceeds from four local pirated compact disc retailing syndicates, $22.25 million of crime proceeds from a local counterfeit syndicate and $2.2 million from two international excise duty fraud syndicates respectively). The Joint Financial Intelligence Unit operated by the department and the Police received 24 266 (13 505 in 2005 and 10 761 as on 31 August 2006) suspicious transaction reports from the financial institutions , among which 424 (312 in 2005 and 112 as on 31 August 2006) were forwarded to the department for follow-up investigation.

Control of Chemicals

The department maintains a licensing system under the Control of Chemicals Ordinance to regulate the trade of 25 chemicals, which are commonly used for the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

In addition, the department has been participating in a global co-operation mechanism to monitor the movements of precursor chemicals in a bid to prevent illicit diversion. Pre-export Notifications (PENs) are issued to the importing countries or territories for verifying the legitimacy of the shipment before export approval is granted. In 2005 and 2006 respectively, 608 and 358 PENs were issued to 26 and 20 countries.
In 2005 and 2006, the department continued to participate actively in two international tracking programmes, namely "Operation Cohesion" and "Project Prism" for monitoring the movements of potassium permanganate, acetic anhydride and chemicals that could be used for illicit manufacture of amphetamine-type stimulants. These initiatives organized by United Nations International Narcotics Control Board, are recognized as effective mechanism to prevent the diversion of precursor chemical.

Since July 2003, Customs officers of Customs Drug Investigation Bureau and the Airport Command have been participating in a prolonged operation with local and overseas authorities with a view to tracking shipments of pseudoephedrine tablets exported from Hong Kong and preventing the same from illicit diversion for use in the manufacture of drugs.  The operation was concluded in October 2005 in view of the fact that the trend of sourcing Hong Kong for pseudoephdrine combination tablets to manufacture methamphetamine had been contained. In the operation, a total of 67.2 million of pseudoephedrine combination tablets was seized and 22 persons were arrested by overseas authorities.