A teenager was jailed for five years yesterday for trafficking in ketamine - the first sentence since the substance was listed under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance nine months ago.
Sending a tough message to traffickers in the powerful tranquilliser - designed to knock out horses - Mr Recorder Ronny Wong Fook-hum, SC, talked of the community's 'revulsion' towards the rising use of the drug. 'In order to nip that trend in the bud, a strong message has to be sent to the community,' he said.
His comments in the Court of First Instance came as he jailed Lee Wai-man, 19, who had admitted trafficking in a dangerous drug. Prosecutor Daniel Ozorio had told the court Lee was found with 1,619 tablets strapped to his body.
Lee was arrested on February 24, when he was stopped in the arrival hall of the Lowu control point as he returned from Shenzhen.
In sentencing Lee, Mr Recorder Wong dismissed defence counsel Giles Surman's submission that he should be sent to a treatment centre instead of jail following a Drug Addiction Treatment Centre report.
He said he had to take into account the quantity of drugs and the interest to the community.
