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    Following is the transcript (English portion) of remarks made by the Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, after the Fight Crime Committee meeting today (February 26):

Secretary for Security: This morning, the Fight Crime Committee has held its meeting. We have reviewed the crime situation of 2004 and the crime situation of January 2005. As the Commissioner of Police has already reported in earlier meetings about the crime situation in 2004, I will not repeat it now. I will say a few words about the crime situation in January 2005. The overall crime figure in January 2005 increased by a small percentage, about 2.5 per cent, mainly because of increases in reported cases like theft, shop theft and criminal intimidation. The number of violent crimes has also recorded an increase of 10 per cent, mainly because reported cases of criminal intimidation and serious assault have increased. The crime figure relating to juvenile and young people has remained stable. As for Mainland visitors, the number of Mainland visitors committing criminal offences in Hong Kong remained low as compared with the total number of arrivals. This year, the Fight Crime Committee has agreed on the publicity strategy. Our publicity strategy this year is for the community to take care of their own belongings. I wish to reiterate that our police and our disciplined services departments will work together and we hope that we will make Hong Kong continue to be one of the safest cities in the world.

Reporter: Do you see a worsening trend in the use of firearms?

Secretary for Security: I know that the community is very concerned about the two cases recently where firearms were used. One involved the killing of a person in Ho Man Tin, and another one last week in front of a restaurant. The police and the Security Bureau are very concerned of any crime committed by offenders using firearms. I can assure you that our police will take all efforts and find every means to investigate each and every one of these cases. On the other hand, our police will work with their counterparts in the Mainland, in Macau and overseas to stop any firearms from being smuggled into Hong Kong. We will also enhance our communication and the exchange of intelligence and information to stop the smuggling of these firearms at source. I can only report that of the two reported cases, the police are now actively investigating. Of the one I mentioned earlier that occurred in Ho Man Tin, a number of arrests have already been made, including one Hong Kong suspect being arrested in Zhuhai. The police are now liaising with the Mainland authorities on this case.

Reporter: Do you see an increase in the influx of illegal firearms being smuggled into Hong Kong?

Secretary for Security: There is no indication that the smuggling of firearms has increased in recent years. As you all know, Hong Kong is an open society. Everyday, hundreds of thousands of people are crossing our borders. Also, tens of thousands of container trucks are crossing our borders. It is virtually impossible to check each and every passenger or container truck. But we will enhance our intelligence exchange with our counterparts. We will try our best to stop the smuggling of firearms into Hong Kong.

Reporter: Are you worrying that there will be more fake Renminbi notes in the future?

Secretary for Security: With the widespread use of Renminbi in Hong Kong these days, the number of fake notes has increased by proportion. I cannot really predict. I think the only way to contain the problem is to do everything possible at source to arrest those syndicates printing forged notes. I think that requires the cooperation among Hong Kong, Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies to try to trace the source of these fake notes - where they are manufactured, where they are printed and then to take enforcement actions.

Reporter: Why was there a huge rise in the (number of) criminal intimidation cases?

Secretary for Security: Yes, we have noted that the number of criminal intimidation cases has increased significantly in the first month of 2005. We have done some research and analysis. It is discovered that the majority of these criminal intimidation cases related to personal conflicts or commercial conflicts. The number of criminal intimidation cases that related to debt collection and triad activities amounted to about 22 per cent. I think this is the percentage we had in past years. By and large, I think we should not be too worried that the number of criminal intimidation cases reflects the real law and order situation in Hong Kong.

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

Ends/Saturday, February 26, 2005

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