HK not a major illicit transit hub: official
7 September 2006
South China Morning Post

As one of the world's busiest container ports, Hong Kong is a logical through point for smuggling drugs into the mainland, but it is not a major drug transit hub, security chief Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong insisted yesterday.

Speaking after a meeting with the Fight Crime Committee to discuss the crime situation, the secretary for security said: "I don't think Hong Kong is a transit hub for psychotropic drugs or heroin. Of course, Hong Kong is {hellip} the busiest container port in the world. We cannot rule out that some illegal syndicates are trying their luck by using Hong Kong.

"The majority of ketamine is manufactured in the Indian subcontinent, moving through Malaysia, then to Hong Kong and onto the mainland. The mainland may be a developing market for psychotropic drugs."

The security chief said this week's seizure highlighted Hong Kong's zero tolerance for using Hong Kong as a transshipment point, as well as the city's successful exchange of intelligence with law enforcement counterparts overseas.

"Many of these successful operations are joint efforts of many law enforcement agencies and we will continue to work closely with our counterparts overseas to deal with drug syndicates and deal them heavy blows."

Crime figures for the first half of 2006, which were discussed by police and the Fight Crime Committee yesterday, showed that there had been an almost 20 per cent increase in the amount of ketamine seized between January and July this year compared to the same period in 2005.

Mr Lee said there was a rising trend in the usage of ketamine and other psychotropic drugs among young people.

He added that the number of serious crimes rose by as much as 8.6 per cent, including assault and wounding cases, and there was an increase in criminal intimidation.

Whether or not HK is a centre of drug trade in this region, I think the triads are involved.

Quite common sense. I doubt the average mom and pop shop would be involved in the drug trade.

鬼唔知阿媽係女人！

Great Work from HK Police & NZ police to seize & shut down such an international drug operation:

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/423466/725145


Largest drug bust in NZ history

Auckland police have seized $135 million worth of illicit drugs in what they say is the largest bust in New Zealand's history.

They say 95 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (ice or P) with a street value of $95 million, and 150 kilograms of pseudoephedrine was found concealed among bags of plaster in shipping containers.

Police say the drugs were seized in two shipments over the past fortnight from an Auckland address.

Police say they were destined for New Zealand's illicit drug market and the seizure will disrupt a major international drug network. They say the bust illustrates how influential transnational crime groups have become in New Zealand's drug market.

The previous biggest haul of crystal methamphetamine was earlier this year when police seized eight kilograms.

"It is a new dimension in the New Zealand drug scene because up to this time most drugs of this major amount would be in transit to an offshore country. That's not the case here, we're quite clear that these drugs were intended for distribution in the New Zealand market place," Simon Williamson of Customs says.

After the drugs were found a house in Kohimarama was searched and police say they found $60,000 in cash, two money counting machines, loaded firearms and false passports.

Six people have been charged - two are New Zealand residents, one is from Hong Kong and the other three are from China.

They appeared in the Auckland District Court on Thursday and have been remanded in custody.

Police say further arrests are possible. Several other people have been named on the charge sheets, although they may be overseas now.

They say the bust is likely to put a dent in the local drug supply.

"This will have an impact on the local market, for how long we don't know," Detective Inspector Bruce Good says.

There is still a long way to go in the investigation, as police and Customs are checking if other shipments have made it into New Zealand.

I've always wondered how (other than sending spies) the police could find out about these illegal trading.

Hahaha, but it's all INFERNAL AFFAIR style ! It's quite common to have a mole in the triads i thought

It's connection. Also I think some triad members or anyone connected to the triads can act as a secret informant to the police.

The drug trade can be detected by means other than insider informants. For example, they may be discovered through anti-money laundering procedures with cooperation from the banks.

Cocaine worth $28m seized
19 August 2009
The Standard

Police said yesterday they had smashed a high-level drug selling organization and made the largest cocaine seizure in five years.

Police seized 32 kilograms of cocaine _ including two kilograms of crack cocaine _ as well as various tools in the operation on Monday in Ma On Shan, where the syndicate's alleged mastermind lived. The seizure is worth HK$28 million.

It was a follow-on action from earlier Monday when two kilograms of cocaine valued at HK$2 million were found in public lockers at Sha Tin's New Town Plaza shopping mall.

The market value for cocaine is about HK$800,000 per kilogram while crack cocaine retails at HK$1 million to HK$1.1 million per kg.

Together with the previous seizure in Sha Tin, the total haul is 34 kilograms and the total value around HK$30 million.

Three people were arrested _ a suspected buyer surnamed Ho, 31, the suspected mastermind surnamed Cheung, 32, and his alleged assistant surnamed To, 30. They will be charged in court today with trafficking dangerous drugs. The police said all three had previous drug-related criminal records.

Narcotics Bureau acting chief superintendent Tsang Cheung-tat said the drug was produced in South America, moving through Europe and Africa to Hong Kong by sea and air, though investigations are still continuing.

A great proportion was probably destined for the local market, though some may have been transferred to other countries, Tsang said.

In the first half of this year, police seized 34.94 kg of cocaine and 2,74 kg of crack cocaine, compared with 36.44 kg and 1.91 kg for the same period last year.

A total 279 people were arrested from January to June, compared with 313 arrests in the first half last year.

Cocaine is not popular among youngsters because of its high price, Tsang said, though demand has remained fairly stable.

Crack cocaine is harder in texture and may cause pain when inhaling it. The drug is taken with juice or smoked. Its effect is longer lasting than powder cocaine.

Psychiatrist Tsang Fan-kwong said cocaine can cause serious heart problems and fatal respiratory arrest. It also affects pregnancy. ``It is a very damaging drug because it stimulates the secretion of dopamine, which makes people feel excited. But as the feeling passes, people become depressed and crave for more cocaine,'' he said. ``In the long run, it causes paranoid delusions, hallucinations and skin problems.''

Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups supervisor Gary Tang Leung-shun said cocaine was unpopular among young people compared with ketamine, though some still used it.

The retail price for ketamine is HK$100 per gram.