HONG KONG: The number of teenagers arrested for offences involving psychotropic drugs surged almost 50 percent during the first six months of this year, over last year, police figures showed.

Police said 94 youngsters aged from 10 to 15 were arrested on suspicion of psychotropic drug-related crimes in the first half of this year, up 49.2 percent compared with the same period last year.

Some 504 people aged 16 to 20 had been apprehended for crimes in relation to psychotropic drugs in the first six months, a year-on-year increase of 3.7 percent, according to police.

Police director of crime and security Lee Ka-chiu said 14 drug-related crimes in schools had been reported in the first half of this year, three more than in the same period a year earlier.

He said 24 students had been arrested in the 14 cases, eight more people than the same period last year.

Lee said the rise in the number of cases is in part due to the ample supply of drugs in the international market.

He pledged to step up collaboration with the mainland, Macao and overseas authorities to curb drug-related crimes and will ask local courts to impose heavier penalties on such offenders.

Lee said police had recently increased its manpower engaged in school liaisons by half to 85. The additional personnel are detailed to forge closer ties with schools to combat crime.

In response to calls by some members of the Action Committee Against Narcotics to bring police sniffer dogs into schools, Lee said such dogs are permitted to enter schools only when there are cases under investigation.

In other circumstances, police require the schools' approval for admission, he said.

Lee said the matter of arranging sniffer dogs to patrol in schools depends on the effect it would have on combatting crime as well as the public view of the issue. "What matters most is to develop mutual trust with schools and maintain a collaboration system," he said.

Lee said police will take part in several campaigns to promote anti-drug messages in the coming months.

In the first half of this year, police seized 8,285 Ecstasy tablets, up 89.2 percent year-on-year.

Police figures also showed that 2,388 people aged 16 or younger had been arrested for various crimes in the first six months, 6.3 percent more than the same period last year.

Lee said most of them were caught on suspicion of theft, assault or wounding others.

(HK Edition 07/30/2009 page1)