Drug dealers selling more to ESF school students in Hong Kong: police

Police have warned of "an alarming increase" in drug dealers who sell to schoolchildren - in particular, those at English School Foundation (ESF) schools.

The trend has been growing over the last six months, police say, with three drug peddlers arrested.

A police source says the sale of cannabis is a lucrative trade for dealers and a way to make "easy money" but investigators do not suspect it is organised by triad gangs.

"From our investigations, it's clear that ESF schools have all got the problem, as their pupils generally have more disposable cash," the source said.

"There's been no link between the people we've arrested. These dealers will just buy the drugs themselves and sell it on for a profit."

"Chinese dealers, in particular, tend to handle transactions in their cars. Pupils get the dealer's phone number from friends, then arrange to meet at a certain place. The car will arrive, the pupil will get in and then they'll drive around the corner. Once the transaction is over, the pupil alights."

Those customers could be as young as 14 years old, the source added.