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The Narcotics Division of the Security Bureau and the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) will hold a series of educational and publicity activities to raise public awareness of cross-boundary drug abuse problems. The "Anti-Drug Files" docu-drama, jointly produced with Radio Television Hong Kong, will be the major component of the campaign.
Speaking at the campaign launch today (July 23), the Commissioner for Narcotics, Mrs Rosanna Ure, said the stories in the docu-drama were genuine cases that occurred in Hong Kong, but the problem of drug abuse was by no means unique to Hong Kong.
Mrs Ure said she hoped that audiences in Macau and the Pearl River Delta Area could also watch the series, to press home the anti-drug message in the region.
The TV series will be broadcast from Saturday (July 29) onwards at 7pm on TVB Jade Channel. The nine-episode series will feature drug abuse and rehabilitation cases as well as joint operations with Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies in combating drug trafficking and manufacturing.
The Narcotics Division and ACAN have also launched a sponsorship scheme to subsidise non-profit making organisations that are interested in organising educational and publicity activities. The activities should aim to remind youngsters to lead a healthy life, and not to abuse drugs across the boundary.
Mrs Ure thanked Dr Stanley Ho for his generous donation of $5 million to the cause of curbing cross-boundary drug abuse, especially among youngsters.
Effective operations by law enforcement agencies are essential in disrupting the flow of drugs across the boundary. But Mrs Ure also called on the community to support anti-drug work, saying everyone could play a part. To illustrate her point, Mrs Ure noted with thanks that the Sun Hung Kai Real Estate Agency Limited had granted free use of the venue.
Entertainer Miss Fiona Sit and the Customs Drug Detector Dogs demonstrated how traffickers were detected at boundary checkpoints. Singer Kellyjackie Chan premiered her new anti-drug song during the launch and entertainer Kelvin Kwan brought the message to the audience through games.
Newly produced Octopus card sleeves with illustrations by local artist Ah Chung were distributed to the public to reinforce the anti-cross-boundary drug abuse message.
Also officiating at the ceremony were ACAN Chairman, Dr Choi Yuen-wan, and Chairman of ACAN Sub-committee on Preventive Education and Publicity, Dr Tam Wing-kun.
Ends/Sunday, July 23, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:22
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