Revealing the figures, the Inter-departmental Counter Terrorism Unit, which comprises members from six law enforcement agencies, noted that the public’s awareness of the need to safeguard against terrorism has improved significantly.
Senior Superintendent Peter Leung Wai-ki, a police officer working with the Inter-departmental Counter Terrorism Unit, said more than 13 percent of the tips received were passed on to relevant law enforcement agencies.
Alice Ho Mei-ling, head of the counterterrorism group of the intelligence bureau under the Customs and Excise Department, said that a total of 27 firearms and 60 cases involving weapons have been cracked in the past six months, of which 19 and 48, respectively, stemmed from tips voluntarily provided by the logistics sector.
Leung said the number of voluntary notifications involving the logistics industry has increased in the past six months, reflecting heightened awareness within the industry.
Leung said that the logistics industry plays an important gatekeeping role in community safety, adding that he hopes to raise awareness of the counter-terrorism and crisis management contributions the industry makes.
According to government statistics, there are more than 160,000 workers in the logistics industry in Hong Kong who handle a large number of goods or parcels every day, with some frequently delivering goods to various districts in the city; so these workers have a greater likelihood of coming across information related to terrorism, violence, or other crimes.
The unit will seek more cooperation with different industries in the future, including the hotel and education sectors.
In September, the unit promoted anti-terrorism measures, targeting workers in the cross-boundary logistics sectors, including warehouses, logistics centers and cross-border transportation by sea, land and air. They were encouraged to report items such as guns, weapons and suspicious consigners and consignees. The project was later extended to include other logistics and food delivery companies.
The unit has so far approached 67 cross-boundary and local logistics and transport companies, and has received a positive response from participating companies.
The authorities have also responded to reports concerning the storage of dangerous goods in a residential building recently, and suspicious objects such as suitcases and devices having been placed on the roadside. In some cases, cash rewards have been granted to informers.
In other cases, when reports have turned out not to be related to terrorism or violence, informers have also received cash rewards from the police, if the reports have proved relevant to other cases. Reward amounts are usually of five-digit or higher.
As of mid-April, the city’s first anti-terrorism-themed experience center – the Safe Community Hub in Wan Chai — had received 3,000 visitors and hosted 92 activities since it entered service in November. The center, which has free admission, provides an interactive experience and presents counter-terrorism massages in ways that are easy for residents to understand.
