SMUGGLERS' speedboats will be the prime target of the advanced surveillance equipment on new Marine Police launches despite an overall drop in smuggling activity this year.
Marine Regional Commander Assistant Commissioner Mr Barrie Deegan said yesterday that the use of high-powered speedboats to smuggle stolen cars out of the territory continued to be a major problem and would remain a top priority for the upgraded fleet.
Mr Deegan said there was an overall drop in smuggling in the first quarter but cautioned that seasonal factors meant there could be increases later.
He officiated at a ceremony at the Tin Hau temple at Joss House Bay, Sai Kung for the Guardian - a new command and patrol launch equipped with thermo-imagers and radar plotting systems to detect speedboats at night.
This is the second of six Australian-made vessels to be delivered this year as part of the fleet's 10-year replacement programme.
The Guardian has been deployed to patrol the eastern harbour since January to help stem car smuggling and the rising tide of illegal immigrants from China.
