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    Following is the transcript of remarks (English portion) made by the Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, after officiating at the "International Conference on Tackling Drug Abuse" this morning (February 23):

Reporter: ... the cocaine problem ... what else can the Government do? ...

Secretary for Security: I think one of the main reasons for the surge in cocaine users is that the price of cocaine has dropped in past years. So we have worked hard internationally to strike at those source countries that produce and manufacture cocaine. We have to step up our enforcement actions. We have to stop the trading and movement of these drugs to these areas particularly to Hong Kong. Thirdly, we have to step up our education efforts to educate our young people the harm of using these kinds of drugs.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Ends/Wednesday, February 23, 2005

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