Some categories see declines of as much as 40% year-on-year

The number of young people arrested in connection with serious drug off ences has dropped sharply during the first quarter of 2010, according to a review by the Fight Crime Committee. Figures show that in some cases arrests have dropped 40 percent over the corresponding period last year. Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee describes the decline as encouraging but still says he wants to increase efforts to make Hong Kong a drug-free city. "The government will seek HK$3 billion this fi nancial year to support initiatives launched by anti-drug organizations, schools and nongovernment organizations to help young drug addicts quit the habit." He insisted that the city is not a transshipment center for the drug trade."In Hong Kong, we have strict regulations on drugs," Lee said. "Drug dealers and traffickers are being handed out very severe sentences in our courts. Our customs and police are two very professional forces. The seizure of the record amount of cocaine a couple of days ago is evidence that we spare no eff ort in tackling the source of drug supply to Hong Kong." Lee's comments came as a village leader appeared in court Tuesday in connection with the weekend's seizure of HK$300 million worth of cocaine in a village house in Ta Kwu Ling. Lee said up until that point, there was no evidence to indicate whether the seized cocaine was targeted for local consumption or for onward transshipment to other places.

Lee added his department would investigate whether there were flaws in intelligence gathering. While investigating a missing persons report received on April 23, Police offi cers found the cocaine inside a village house in Tai Po Tin village on April 25 and seized 372 kg of suspected cocaine - the largest single seizure on police record. Four men and four women, aged 22 to 84, were arrested in the case Sunday. The accused village head, Pang, 52, was charged with drug trafficking and remanded into custody until next Monday. He said

at the hearing that he was helping a friend to hoard the cocaine, hoping to collect a reward of HK$5,000 per kilogram. He said he has already

received HK$300,000. An 84-year-old man and a 77-year-old woman have been released on bail. The remaining two men and three women, aged 22 to 47, remain in custody. They will appear for a court hearing today. The search for the missing suspect is continuing. Other figures released by the Fight Crime Committee Tuesday revealed a drop of 2.2 percent in the overall crime rate in the first quarter of 2010. Th e violent crime rate was down 2.1 percent in the same period. Decreased incidents were reported in robberies, serious drug off ences and serious assault. Increases were recorded in miscellaneous theft s and

shop thefts.

CHINA DAILY

(HK Edition 04/28/2010 page1)