Police bust HK drug shipping schemes involving local teenagers
THE Judiciary Police (PJ) has cracked down on two separate drug trafficking cases this week involving local teenagers, who were sent packages containing illegal narcotics.
According to the PJ, due to the impact of Covid-19 on border controls, drug traffickers have been relying more on shipping parcels to transport drugs to Macau, rather than transporting the narcotics with people. Previously, most teenagers found involved in drug trafficking were Hong Kong residents.
In the first case, the PJ apprehended two local teenagers responsible for drug trafficking.
On May 23, the PJ apprehended the first teenager, Cheang, 18. Cheang received a parcel containing electrical appliances and drugs. The PJ seized the drugs, weighing 0.4 grams, from Cheang’s home. The teenager was supposed to deliver the substance to another person.
The next day, the PJ apprehended the second teenager, who planned to receive the drugs from Cheang and then sell the substance. Both local teenagers were offered 2,000 patacas as payment. Cheang was tested was positive for drugs, whereas the second suspect tested negative.
The PJ announced a second case on Wednesday involving a 23-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl. They were both hired by Hong Kong drug dealers, who mailed them a total of 29 small bags (13.2 grams of cocaine) in a single parcel. The parcel contained a radio-controlled car containing the drugs. The cocaine is estimated to be worth 44,000 patacas on the black market, according to the PJ.
The PJ intercepted the parcel while the duo was picking it up from the shipping company in question.
The young man claimed this was his first experience with drug trafficking and that he was paid 3,000 patacas to complete the job. He was hired to sell the drugs in Macau.
The girl denied her involvement in drug trafficking, stating that she was aware of the contents of the parcel but only accompanied the susepct, who is her boyfriend, during the pick-up.
Both individuals’ drug tests returned positive results. The PJ has forwarded their case to the prosecution authority.