After the 2019 social unrest and gradual calmness following the extradition bill controversy in Hong Kong, my friend and I opened a currency exchange store around November of the same year. Our main business was currency exchange and remittance services. However, due to the time required for the customs financial license application, we were unable to start operating the business just yet. We had already paid $24,000 for store handover fees, $36,000 for a one-time deposit, and monthly rent of $18,000. We spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in about six months.
As one wave subsided, another one rose in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic spread and the government implemented work-from-home measures for its departments. The approval for the customs financial license was further delayed, and we became very anxious.
With only expenses and no income, I looked for a way to raise some quick capital. I got introduced to a drug dealer through a former colleague. I agreed to lend the currency exchange store as a warehouse for drugs and took the risk of helping drug dealers in order to make quick money. The moment I decided to use the store for illegal activities, I felt uneasy and conflicted between good and evil. I thought about stopping, but in the end, I couldn’t resist the allure of money.
The drug dealer provided the location and managed the whole transaction through phone instructions. My commission was $5,000 per kilogram of drugs. I successfully transported drugs once. However, on the second attempt, the transaction failed and I was arrested by the police. This is how it happened:
On the evening of May 6, 2020, I received a call from the drug dealer asking me to make a delivery of 1kg of drugs. Following the dealer’s instructions, I picked up the drugs from the store. As soon as I walked out, I was apprehended by a team of narcotics detectives. Besides the drugs in my possession, there was also 5kg of drugs inside the store. Ultimately, I was arrested for “trafficking dangerous drugs.” It was only after being taken to the police station that I learned I had been monitored for a while.
…due to my foolish and ignorant decision, I committed a grave mistake, causing me to miss witnessing the growth of the children, causing sadness and disappointment for my family once again, and bringing them trouble.
At the moment of my arrest, I was in total shock, and I deeply regretted my actions. During my detention at the police station, I felt lost and helpless, lacking the courage to inform my family. Even when police searched my home, it was done while they were asleep. I had no idea how to face them. On one hand, I was afraid of their reaction. On the other hand, I was afraid to face them, because I didn’t know what to say.
It wasn’t until I was put on remand that my family learned of it. They have been very supportive, visiting, and helping me with whatever I need, without any questions or complaints. Whether in the correctional institution or in prison, they have remained unwavering, never abandoning me.
Three years of imprisonment have served me to reflect deeply and truly acknowledge my wrongdoing. The consequence of this crime is a nearly 10-year prison sentence. Through this period of incarceration, I have come to realize that it’s been my family who has accompanied me through this journey, while my so-called friends have long disappeared. What I regret the most is that since my arrest three new members were added to my family, and I gained the title of uncle. Originally, our family was happy and content, and the births of the niece and nephews were a great joy. However, due to my foolish and ignorant decision, I committed a grave mistake, causing me to miss witnessing the growth of the children, causing sadness and disappointment for my family, and bringing them trouble.
Now, all I hope for is to utilize this time to study and improve myself, not to waste any more time. To start anew, and to change for the better. After my release, I will abide by the law, sincerely repent, work hard, support my family, contribute to society, and return to the right path. I hope to reunite with my family as soon as possible.
I hope my story can serve as a lesson to others, and I also hope that those who read my story will remember to “pause and think” about the consequences before they act. Finally, I want to deliver a message to everyone: “Drugs harm people and oneself, affecting one’s entire life. It is illegal whether you are a buyer or a seller.”
Note: This letter has been translated and edited from its original in Chinese. Switch language to read the original letter.