The Acting Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk; the Commissioner of Police, Mr Siu Chak-yee; and the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho, today (May 23) met with the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna, Ms Ghada Fathi Waly, and her delegation to exchange views on anti-crime and anti-drug strategies and efforts. Ms Waly is visiting Hong Kong from May 21 to May 25 to attend the 8th ICAC Symposium cohosted by the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities.
The UNODC delegation was first received by Mr Cheuk, who presented crime-fighting policies of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as well as strategies in combating narcotics, which has enabled Hong Kong to become one of the safest cities in the world. The meeting took place in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Drug InfoCentre which has become the hub of anti-drug education and publicity in Hong Kong following its large-scale revamp completed in end-2022.
The Hong Kong Police Force and Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) have always played a major role in regional and international drug enforcement. After the abovementioned session, the delegation met with Mr Siu to exchange ideas on various topics including anti-money laundering, anti-deception and cyber crimes, in particular on how to underpin Hong Kong's role as an international city and financial centre through various law enforcement efforts.
The delegation also met with Ms Ho. During a visit to the Kwai Chung Customhouse, the delegation gained firsthand knowledge of the work of the C&ED including how it combats drug trafficking as well as its efforts in stopping the transnational smuggling of endangered plants and animals.
Mr Cheuk said, "The Security Bureau is delighted that Ms Waly has been able to fit us into her very tight schedule. We hope that the UNODC delegation could gain a better understanding of the latest situation in Hong Kong after the visit. We are committed to international co-operation and working together with the UNODC on achieving its goal of making the world safer from drugs, crime, corruption and terrorism. We also look forward to further opportunities for our young people to participate in UNODC activities."
Ms Waly said, "Drugs and crime challenges are evolving worldwide, making it more important than ever to enhance international co-operation and promote best practices. I was very pleased to learn about the Security Bureau's efforts to counter drugs and crime in Hong Kong. The UNODC stands ready to support those efforts as well as to promote the lessons learned from Hong Kong's experiences as we look to confront emerging global threats, strengthen prevention, and engage young people in responses."
In March 2024 for the first time, a young person from Hong Kong, who was also a member of the Security Bureau Youth Uniformed Group Leaders Forum, joined the Youth Forum in Vienna hosted by the UNODC on the sidelines of the 67th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to discuss a range of topics related to drug and substance abuse.
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