Hong Kong police seize HK$22 million of drugs in raid on flat, man arrested
Police say 38.6kg of drugs, including cocaine, ketamine and chemicals for manufacturing ‘space oil’, found in To Kwa Wan flat
Hong Kong police have seized HK$22 million (US$2.8 million) worth of drugs and arrested a 58-year-old man after raiding an illicit narcotics lab inside a flat in To Kwa Wan.
Officers launched an operation on Friday after analysing intelligence and intercepted the suspect. He was found with 335g (11.8 ounces) of crack cocaine on him, Senior Inspector Fung Pak-kin of the Hong Kong Island regional anti-triad unit said on Sunday.
The suspect, who claimed to be a businessman, was escorted back to the flat, where police uncovered an additional 8.8kg (19.4lbs) of crack cocaine, 2.1kg of cocaine slabs, and 27.3kg of ketamine, Fung said.
Officers also discovered liquid raw materials believed to be used to manufacture the synthetic drug “space oil”, as well as tools for drug production and packaging.
The total drug haul weighed about 38.6kg. The suspect was detained for investigation and will appear at Eastern Court on Monday to face charges of drug trafficking and manufacturing.
Fung said investigators believed the 400 sq ft flat had been used as a drug lab for more than a year. He said the operation had prevented a substantial quantity of dangerous drugs from entering the local market.