SOME 100 shots were fired, a boat set alight and three suspects arrested off Sai Kung last night as police chased smugglers.
The drama began when police speedboats spotted two high-powered smugglers' vessels off Basalt Island at about 7.30 pm.
When the police boat was about 50 metres from one of the vessels, the smugglers opened fire.
Police officers returned fire with a sub-machine gun and revolvers and continued the chase for about 30 minutes until the smugglers' vessel headed east into Chinese territorial waters.
As the police headed back to rendezvous with other police vessels, another two smugglers' speedboats were spotted and a second chase ensued.
One got away, but the other boat caught fire near Tai Long Wan after the police fired flares.
