Marine Police

Marine Region had a particularly busy year, especially with activities in the
harbour where hundreds of craft of various sizes watched fireworks and
other displays relating to the opening of the Lantau Link and the Handover
Ceremony.

The Marine Police took delivery of three eight-metre and four nine-metre
replacement inshore patrol craft and eight replacement fast-pursuit craft
for the Small Boat Unit. Five high-speed pursuit craft specially designed
and built to replace the Anti-smuggling Task Force tai feis (speed boats)
are expected to begin service in 1998. Communications, surveillance and
safety equipment were continually enhanced with a view to maintaining an
advantage over the increasingly sophisticated syndicates involved in the
smuggling of contraband and illegal immigrants.

Due to rigorous enforcement action, the establishment of more formal
avenues for liaison and the exchange of information between Marine
Police and their counterparts in the adjacent provinces in the Mainland
and abroad, smuggling activities involving tai feis and chung feis have
continued to drop.

Some 1 010 IIs were apprehended while trying to enter Hong Kong by
sea, compared with 1 554 IIs arrested in 1996. A total of 451 Vietnamese
people arrived by sea on 31 vessels in 1997. Of these, 377 elected to have
their vessels reprovisioned and continued their journey.

Environmental and safety issues associated with the illegal use of
explosives and toxic substances to catch fish continued to be accorded
high priority with some 164 kilograms of explosives being seized during
the year. Marine Police continued to assist other departments in their
efforts to enhance shark prevention measures, to protect Marine Parks,
to curb pollution and to provide search and rescue services within and
outside Hong Kong waters.

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