Source: 2002
Released by the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
Hong Kong is no longer a major transit/transshipment point for illicit drugs to the United States because of its efficient law enforcement efforts, the availability of alternate transport routes, and the development of port facilities elsewhere in southern China. Some traffickers continue to operate out of Hong Kong to arrange shipments from nearby drug-producing countries to the international market, including to the United States, and there have been some cases in which drugs transited Hong Kong to Australia. The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSARG) actively combats drug trafficking and abuse through legislation and law-enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation, preventive education and international cooperation. The 1988 UN Drug Convention, to which the PRC is a party, applies to Hong Kong.
Hong Kong's position as a key port city in close proximity to the Golden Triangle historically made it a natural transit/transshipment point for drugs moving from Southeast Asia to the international market, including to the United States. In recent years, Hong Kong's role as a transit/transshipment point has diminished due to law enforcement efforts and the availability of alternate routes in Southern China. A limited amount of drugs, however, continues to transit Hong Kong to the United States and the international market.
Hong Kong and U.S. law-enforcement officials enjoy an excellent relationship in the fight against drugs. Hong Kong is not a producer of illicit drugs and drugs seized in Hong Kong are smuggled in mostly for local consumption and to a lesser extent for further distribution in the international market.
Hong Kong experienced an overall decrease in drug abuse in 2002. According to the Hong Kong Central Registry of Drug Abuse (CRDA), there were 11,911 registered drug abusers in Hong Kong in the first half of 2001 (January-June 2001). This number dropped by 6.6 percent to 11,124 during the same period in 2002. The most significant decrease was recorded in 21-and-under abusers, which decreased 33 percent. Overall use of psychotropic substances, such as ketamine, ecstasy, cannabis and methamphetamine also decreased significantly in 2002 by 18.2 percent.
Policy Initiatives. Hong Kong has in place an effective legal system to counter drug trafficking and drug abuse in accordance with the 1988 UN Drug Convention. Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, the import, export, manufacture, supply, storage and possession of drugs are subject to strict control. The Control of Chemicals Ordinance prescribes tight control over 25 precursor chemicals to prevent their diversion for illicit manufacture of narcotics. The Drug Trafficking (Recovery of Proceeds) Ordinance (DTROP) and the Organized and Series Crimes Ordinance (OSCO) provide a legal framework for tracing, restraining and confiscation of proceeds from drug trafficking. The HKSARG strengthened both DTROP and OSCO in July 2002 by amending the Drug Trafficking and Organized Crimes Ordinance. The amendment lowers the threshold for initiating restraining and confiscation orders against persons or properties suspected of drug trafficking.
Hong Kong passed the Drug Dependent Persons Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers (licensing) Ordinance in April 2002. The ordinance makes it a statutory requirement for any drug- treatment and rehabilitation organization to apply for a license from the Director of Social Welfare. To follow-up on recommendations by the Task Force on Psychotropic Substance Abuse (established in 2000), an inter-departmental working group was established in October 2002 to review existing counternarcotics laws. In November 2002, places of Public Entertainment Ordinance, which will more strictly control the licensing of entertainment venues, was passed in order to control drug-abuse at rave parties and late-night entertainment venues.
Law Enforcement Efforts. Hong Kong's law-enforcement agencies accord high priority to the objectives of the 1988 UN Drug Convention. Their counternarcotics efforts focus on the suppression of drug trafficking and the control of precursor chemicals. The Hong Kong police has adopted a three-level approach to combat narcotics distribution: at headquarters-level, the focus is on high-level traffickers and international trafficking. The regional police force focuses on trafficking across police district boundaries. Responsibility for eradicating street-level distribution lies with the district police force. The Narcotics Bureau of the Hong Kong Police cooperates with the PRC, Canada, Australia, the United States, and countries throughout Southeast Asia in combating international drug trafficking. However, its resources are primarily focused on syndicates involved in supply and distribution of drugs in the Hong Kong domestic market. Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department(HKCED)'s Control Chemicals Group (CCG) closely tracks and controls the usage of precursor chemicals in Hong Kong. CCG's programs have had a positive impact on precursor chemical control in the Far East region as a whole. Hong Kong works closely and cooperatively with U.S. law enforcement agencies.
To strengthen counternarcotics intelligence support, HKCED established an Intelligence Bureau in July 2002. The creation of the new Intelligence Bureau has strengthened coordination between all departments on counternarcotics intelligence collection, and enhanced the efficiency of intelligence processing and dissemination. Furthermore, a dedicated Operational Intelligence Unit has been created to support frontline operations.
HKCED has expanded its Narcotics Canine Unit in 2002. The Narcotics Canine Unit at present has 32 officers and 25 detector dogs, including eight passive alert dogs with two additional passive alert canine teams on the way. The detector dogs are deployed at passenger and cargo terminals, airport, border control points and container terminals. The enforcement capability of customs officials has been enhanced by installation of new, advanced detection equipment at border/control points. For example, HKCED has upgraded the container inspection facilities at Lok Ma Chau border in 2002 (busiest border control between Hong Kong SAR and PRC) by installing two sets of fixed x-ray vehicle inspection systems.
Corruption. There is no known narcotics-related corruption among senior government or law-enforcement officials. Hong Kong has a comprehensive anticorruption ordinance that is effectively enforced by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), which reports directly to the Chief Executive. Nor are there any known senior government officials engaging in, encouraging, or facilitating the illicit production or distribution of such drugs or substances, or laundering money related to illegal drug transactions.
The HKSARG does not encourage or facilitate illicit production or distribution of narcotics or psychotropic drugs or other controlled substances, or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions.
Agreements, Treaties and International Cooperation. Hong Kong maintains close links with the United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Interpol and the World Customs Organization (WCO) as well as individual governments around the world. As of October 2002, Hong Kong had mutual legal assistance agreements with the U.S., France, Australia, the U.K., New Zealand, Italy, South Korea, Switzerland, Canada, the Philippines, Portugal, Ireland and the Netherlands. Hong Kong signed its agreement with the Netherlands in 2002. Hong Kong has also signed Surrender of Fugitive Offenders Agreements with 13 countries including the U.S., and Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreements with eight countries, including the U.S. Hong Kong law-enforcement agencies enjoy a close and cooperative working relationship with their mainland counterparts, and counterparts in many countries, in the fight against narcotics trafficking. Through their established liaison channels, they exchange operational intelligence on drug trafficking, money laundering and control of precursor chemicals.
Drug Flow/Transit:. Although Hong Kong's role as a major drug transshipment/transit point has diminished over the years, a limited amount of drugs continue to flow through Hong Kong for the overseas market. Traffickers use land routes through mainland China to smuggle heroin into Hong Kong from the Golden Triangle for transit to the overseas market by utilizing Hong Kong's transportation and shipping infrastructures.
There were several seizures in 2002 of drugs transiting Hong Kong to the United States. In May 2002, U.S. authorities in Guam seized 5.2 kilograms of methamphetamine from Hong Kong. In August, Hong Kong authorities seized 5 kilograms of methamphetamine destined for the United States.
In an effort to eradicate Hong Kong's role as a transit/transshipment point for illicit drugs, the HKSARG has developed a database of information on all cargoes, cross-border vehicles, and shipping. The Air Cargo Clearance System, the Land Border System and the Customs Control System are all capable of quickly processing information on all import and export cargoes, cross-border vehicles and vessels.
Demand Reduction/Domestic Programs. While supply reduction remains Hong Kong's primary strategy against drug abuse, Hong Kong's domestic programs focus on preventive education aimed at youth and parents. Hong Kong provides a comprehensive drug prevention program through its existing education system. The Hong Kong Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau tasks Non-Government Organizations (NGO) to conduct drug educational programs at public schools and institutions. The Narcotics Bureau also sponsors programs aimed specifically at better educating parents and employees of youth organizations on drug abuse.
The Hong Kong government in 2002 launched new television programs aimed at curbing psychotropic substance abuse, strengthened the intervention services targeting high-risk groups, such as youth and school dropouts, and organized a new pilot program providing overnight facilities for drug abusers.
Cultivation and Production. Hong Kong is not a producer of illicit drugs.
U.S. law-enforcement officials continue to emphasize joint investigations with their counterparts in Hong Kong law- enforcement to develop prosecutable cases--either in Hong Kong, The United States or other jurisdictions--against major traffickers based in Hong Kong and East Asia. The U.S. Government and the HKSARG continue to promote sharing of proceeds from joint counternarcotics investigations.
Hong Kong officials participated in several US-sponsored programs on narcotics. In 2002, Hong Kong sent approximately 10 law-enforcement officials to the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Bangkok, Thailand. These officials participated in "Supervisory Criminal Investigator Course," "Airport Programs and Controlled Deliveries Course," and "Narcotics Unit Commander Course."
The Road Ahead. The Hong Kong government has proven to be a reliable and competent partner in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse. Hong Kong law enforcement officials, arguably some of the most effective in the region, continue to cooperate with their U.S. counterparts. The U.S. Government will continue to encourage Hong Kong to keep playing an active role in counternarcotics efforts.