Society

Drugs worth 1.7m HKD seized in HK

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-04-15 21:28

HONG KONG - Hong Kong Police said on Thursday that about 1.7 million HK dollars worth of suspected dangerous drugs were seized and 206 persons arrested during two territory-wide operations concluded on April 14.

In order to combat drug-related crime, especially among young people, during the Easter holidays, two territory-wide anti-drug operations codenamed "Vanquisher VI" and "Tailbacker III" were conducted from March 29 to April 14.

Officers from Police headquarters and all regions took enforcement actions and checked identified black spots including licensed entertainment premises. Joint operations with the city's Department of Health were also mounted to step up checks at dispensaries in order to curb cough medicine abuse.

During the operations, a total of 186 men and 20 women aged from 13 to 74 were arrested. Among them, 39 boys and 11 girls were aged 20 or below. They were arrested for various offenses such as trafficking in dangerous drugs, possession of dangerous drugs, possession of equipment for smoking/injecting dangerous drugs, possession of Part I Poison, selling a Part I Poison without the supervision of a registered pharmacist and so forth.

Suspected dangerous drugs, including ketamine, heroin, ice and bottles of cough syrup worth about 1.7 million HK dollars, were seized.

A Police spokesman reiterated that combating trafficking and abuse of dangerous drugs remains one of the Commissioner's Operational Priorities in 2010. Police will make continuous efforts to interdict drug supplies and abuse activities, particularly those involving youngsters.

The public are also reminded that possession and consumption of dangerous drugs are serious offenses in Hong Kong and any person found guilty of the said offenses will be subject to a maximum penalty of a fine of one million HK dollars and imprisonment for seven years. (7.75 HK dollar =1 U.S. dollar)