Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macau police agreed to continue their co-operation in criminal investigation at the eighth meeting between the three places that ended in Hong Kong today.

They plan to further co-operate in intelligence exchange, investigation support, joint operations and expertise exchange.

Led by Crime & Security Director Chau Foo-cheong, representatives from the Hong Kong Police Force met their Guangdong and Macau counterparts to discuss cross-boundary crimes, to improve the law and order situations in the three places.

Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department's Deputy Director Zheng Dong led the Guangdong delegation. Macau's Assistant of Commandant General Cheang Seng-chio led its delegation.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Assistant Commissioner of Police Victor Lo said the law enforcers from the three places took a pragmatic approach in addressing four major areas: organised crime, commercial crime, narcotics and technology crime.

Intelligence exchange could prevent street deception

In view of the street-level deception involving foreign visitors within the three places, he said that there was a need to have a closer intelligence exchange and to consider setting up a common database to monitor suspicious people to stop them from committing crime in the three areas.

Guangdong and Hong Kong will consider establishing a special liaison channel that would allow quick and appropriate actions to be taken in cases in which people are detained and forced to hand over their ATM cards and PIN numbers so the criminals can withdraw money from their accounts.

"We are also committed to taking more joint operations against cross-boundary triad activities and other kinds of organised crimes," Mr Lo said.