Up past Bride's Pool and into the scenic highlands of the Pat Sin Leng country trail, a young couple stride. Even in this chilly weather, they enjoy the sweeping views of Mirs Bay, stark peaks and lush ravines. They carry all the normal paraphernalia of the Hong Kong hill walker; plastic water bottles, ski poles and mobile phones.
But this attractive young couple have extra baggage. Inside their colourful windbreakers are packed police special revolvers.
No ordinary hikers, this pair, but undercover trekkers of the Picnic Patrol. If gangs of illegal immigrants hiding in the hills confront this young man and woman, they are in for an unpleasant surprise. Instead of netting wallets, watches and mobile phones, the would-be robbers are likely to spend several years in jail before being deported.
In an imaginative move to aggressively take law enforcement to where it is most needed, commanders of New Territories North region have sent their teams into the high country.
It's a move aimed to prevent crime and protect people before they become victims. All this year, illegal immigrants have been coming over the border.
There were 1,211 caught in January, the highest monthly total, and 705 in June, the lowest. In October, there were 989 arrests, with 810 in November.
