Anti-smuggling activites in Chinese waters - 1982 - Tony Cunnane's Life and Times

In 1982 I went on a short detachment to Hong Kong, then still a British territory, during which I spent 60 hours with the HK Police on an anti-smuggling patrol in international waters close to the mainland of China to the north-east of Hong Kong Island. We departed late afternoon and before long I was sea-sick and left my bunk only to look over the side (if you see what I mean!)  Many jokes at the expense of the RAF.

I was allowed to take some photographs (without showing close ups of faces) and here is a selection scanned from the original Agfacolor transparencies that have not seen the light of day since 1982. Please note that the boats and people shown in the images on this page were NOT engaged in smuggling – I was not permitted to take photographs of the ones that were. At one stage I accompanied an armed landing party that went inland to search a number of ‘suspected’ locations (I don't see how that foray could be described as "international waters"). I can’t provide exact locations because I didn’t keep a log at the time. At one stage I was so engrossed in taking photographs that I almost became separated from, and left behind by, my minder!

Click on a thumbnail to see pop up a larger image with a caption. All are (c) Tony Cunnane