Financial Investigations Course

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The Crime Wing Narcotics Bureau and Organised Crime and Triad Bureau jointly organised and conducted a two-week Financial Investigations Course for overseas and local law enforcement officers involved in the fight against drug trafficking and related money-laundering operations.

The 17 overseas guest-participants came from various law enforcement agencies in Brunei, Egypt, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. The 21 local participants came from the Narcotics Bureau, Organised Crime & Triad Bureau, Criminal Intelligence Bureau, Securities & Futures Commission, Customs & Excise Department and the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

At the end of the course, on November 15, the Director of Crime & Security, Mr Chau Foo-cheong, presented them with certificates prior to meeting with them at an informal farewell cocktail party.

OffBeat spoke to four of the overseas officers and asked for a personal assessment of the value of the course to them.

Amazingly International

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs First Secretary, Mr Ahmed Ayman Assem, told OffBeat: "On behalf of the government of Egypt, I want to thank the Hong Kong Police for inviting me to attend the course. I learned a great deal from both the instructors and my fellow students. It was an amazingly international gathering. I could not have imagined how welcome I would be among them all, and how everyone is totally committed to helping one another over and above any international treaty obligations. Before I left, my Minister told me that he was absolutely convinced that Egypt must join the international effort to combat organised crime and terrorism. On my return home, I shall endeavour to further enhance Egypt's contribution to global security through the knowledge I have gained and the friendships I have made here in Hong Kong," he concluded.

Underground Banking

Japan National Police Agency Criminal Investigation Bureau's Office of International Investigation Liaison Officer, Mr Tomoyasu Nakamura, was equally impressed with the quality of instruction and the evidence of absolute professionalism in the Hong Kong Police Force. "I do not think that drug smuggling is Japan's main problem in respect to money-laundering, though we will not be complacent. Our biggest current problem," Mr Nakamura explained, "is the use of underground banking facilities by foreign visitors who work illegally in Japan. They provide a cover, perhaps, for more serious and organised crime. During my appointment as Hong Kong-based Liaison Officer, I shall make good use of all I have learned and the valued personal contacts I have made with international law enforcement officers."

Joint efforts essential

Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau Inspectors, Ms Tan Siew Fong and Ms Jenny Tan Yen Yen agreed that they had learned a lot from the course and from both formal and informal discussions with instructors and students on the problems they shared. "We were very impressed with the Hong Kong Police Force's willingness to share knowledge and expertise and co-operate actively with officers from countries all over the world," said Ms Jenny Tan.

Ms Tan Siew Fong told OffBeat: "Perhaps our two-day 'familiarisation' visit to the Narcotics Bureau was the most interesting part of our visit. We were surprised to see so many overseas officers still serving in the Hong Kong Police. Of course Singapore is a multicultural society and we have Chinese, Malays and Indians working together, but we do not recruit overseas staff. We also noticed that there were differences between Singapore and Hong Kong in the modus operandi of the Police and other law enforcement agencies."

"Most importantly, we realised that despite different procedures in different jurisdictions, we could all work together and achieve what is obviously our common goal - The Rule of Law," Ms Jenny Tan concluded.