Craft for catching smugglers are a showpiece, says a senior marine police officer
High-speed pursuit craft bought by Hong Kong Customs to hunt speedboat smugglers have been described as 'useless for the task' and a 'fancy showpiece'.
A South China Morning Post investigation has uncovered a number of concerns about the operational capability of the vessels, which cost $8 million each and come complete with bunks, stereos and microwave ovens.
The two biggest worries are the claims that vessels cannot be deployed for ambush or operated at night because of a design fault; and the enclosed cabin means operators cannot fire flares or tear gas to force smugglers to stop during high-speed pursuits on the open water.
Customs officials responding to the claims said some modifications might be needed but the strike boats were still undergoing 'a trial period'.
Highly ranked marine police and anti-smuggling experts said the boats' characteristics made them unsuitable for operations against speedboat smugglers.