Three held after HK$9.2m drug raid in Tuen Mun
Thestandard · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong police arrested three men aged 19 to 26 after a Narcotics Bureau operation in Tuen Mun uncovered suspected drugs worth about HK$9.2 million. Investigators said the case exposed an alleged smuggling and processing method in which ketamine was dissolved in liquid, soaked into clothing and later chemically extracted at a separate site
Key Points
- Narcotics Bureau officers mounted an ambush near a village house in Fuk Hang Tsuen on August 22 and intercepted the three suspects there
- A search of the premises uncovered about 14 kilograms of suspected ketamine, two kilograms of suspected heroin and 151 capsules suspected of containing etomidate
- Police then searched a nearby unit believed to be a clandestine drug-processing laboratory, where officers reported a strong chemical odor
- Investigators found equipment, large plastic trays filled with liquid and garments soaked in the liquid inside the suspected processing unit
- Police said about 40 liters of ketamine-laced liquid could have produced around six kilograms of refined ketamine after chemical extraction
Why It Matters
The case points to increasingly concealed trafficking methods that can make drugs harder to detect during transport, especially when disguised as ordinary household items. Police said the suspects were young and unemployed and were allegedly drawn deeper into the operation after first being recruited to store and move drugs, underscoring concerns about syndicates targeting vulnerable people