Tag: cocaine

Chasing the dragon – Part 3

CONTINUED FROM PART 2
NO GLAMOUR IN TRIADS

The triads are not as glamorous as movies portray; movies only glorify them. There is a saying “out of ten bad boys, nine are truly wicked.” The triads exploit you. When you’re young, a big group of people follows a boss to eat and drink. A single look or bump can spark a fight; they boss people around, thinking it’s cool, but in reality, it’s just the many bullying the few.

There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. These bosses exploit the ignorance and mindset of young people, taking advantage of human weakness. They will never provide free food, drink, entertainment, or drugs long term. At first, they lure you into drug use so you get addicted. When you can no longer escape, you have to pay the price. You don’t think carefully about the consequences for the money to buy drugs, accepting them happily. They will tell you to do drugs or commit robberies — anything to make money. Some get lucky and don’t get caught by the police despite committing many crimes, but many get arrested the first time. For a reward of tens of thousands or only a few thousand, you suffer more than a decade in prison. Not everyone is that lucky.

I want to share a true story here.

There was a 30-year-old young gangster who fell deep into drug addiction. His triad boss asked him to go to Europe to smuggle a batch of ivory powder into Hong Kong. The payment was HK$30,000. The young gangster thought he could go to France and the Netherlands with his girlfriend for free, since his boss covered the airfare and hotel stay, plus a daily allowance of 150 euros. Having worked for the boss for nearly 10 years, he believed he wouldn’t be cheated, so he accepted the job.

Continue reading Chasing the dragon – Part 3

Chasing the dragon – Part 2

CONTINUED FROM Part 1
The Diamond Hill murders

In October 2022, I was admitted to Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre. At first, I didn’t have any special feelings because prison life for me just meant no drugs, no women, and no internet. I was already used to the rest of it. But on June 2, 2023, a tragedy happened. A murder took place at Diamond Hill Hollywood Plaza. A mentally ill man randomly killed two young women. On June 3, when I read the newspaper, I noticed the second victim looked very familiar. The newspaper obscured the victim’s face with a grid, so I couldn’t see it clearly, but I still felt it looked familiar, like my daughter. I looked closer at the victim’s name; at that time, the paper only printed the surname. I was relieved and thought it couldn’t be possible — I must be overthinking. I even discussed the case with other inmates, saying how brave the second victim was. Despite being unarmed, she tried to save her friend four times and ultimately lost her life to the attacker.

Continue reading Chasing the dragon – Part 2

Chasing the dragon – Part 1

I am 46 years old this year. I was remanded in custody in October 2022 for burglary.

Growing up

I was born in 1976, and my family lived in an old housing estate on the eastern part of the Kwun Tong District in Kowloon. I have three older sisters and one older brother; I am the youngest. Because both of my parents worked when I was little, they didn’t have time to take care of me, so I stayed at my grandmother’s house. However, my grandmother was very strict, and I was often physically punished or left without food, which made me want to rebel from a young age.

My family could be described as a triad family. My uncle was a triad boss, my brother-in-law was a triad leader, and both my brother and cousin were also members of the triads. From a young age, I was surrounded by triad members, and both my uncle and brother-in-law also sold drugs.

During school holidays when I didn’t have to go to class, I would return to my parents’ home, where I was very happy because many people would take me to the park downstairs, and I could eat snacks and drink soda at the local convenience store for free. This was because the area was full of triads, and the people who took me out to play were the so-called “bad boys” from the neighborhood. So all the food was free. I clearly remember seeing my uncle at home using a matchbox to smoke something off a piece of silver paper (later, I learned it was heroin — the “chasing the dragon” method).

I thought it was very strange back then, wondering what my uncle was doing, and he looked very comfortable and seemed to be enjoying himself. When I moved back to live with my parents in Form 1, I was very happy because I finally escaped hardship and could live well. Maybe my mother felt guilty for not spending much time with me when I was young, so she spoiled and indulged me, never scolding or punishing me even when I made mistakes. This made me even more out of control. I skipped school all the time and was eventually expelled. Not only did I stop going to school, but I also spent every day hanging around basketball courts and arcade centers, where I met a group of delinquent friends. By age 14, I even joined a triad. I idled my time away daily, eating, drinking, partying, chasing girls, and getting into fights.

Continue reading Chasing the dragon – Part 1

Double Exposure: Framed in a Foreign Land

I am Mexican and I work as a professional photographer in Mexico City. I have been doing this work for more than 30 years. My business is producing annual calendars for companies or factories, showing the most professional side of their work.

A few months before coming to Hong Kong, I did a job for a tourist company that had purchased some ships from a factory in America. I carried out the work for the company’s annual calendar, with images of a shipyard in the city of Marseille, France. I also took a trip on the ship to understand its function. I did all this a few months before coming to Hong Kong.

If you check my passport, you will see my travel history, as before carrying out the job, I made a trip to identify the places where the work would be done, and then returned to complete it. This process took me approximately four months to carry out — producing and finishing the images, presenting them to my clients and, if they were satisfied, printing the calendars.

Continue reading Double Exposure: Framed in a Foreign Land

The nail that sealed my coffin

I am 76 years old and I was born in Lima, Peru. I am single and I have two children, one 45 years old and a 35-year-old daughter, but I have not heard anything from them in more than 30 years. My closest relative is (or was?) My 65-year-old sister, who had been hospitalized for breast cancer since before my trip to Hong Kong. Now I don’t know if he’s still alive because I have no way to call, since I don’t remember the numbers because they are on the phone that the police seized and there is no way to get it back or to be able to ask for the numbers, since it is part of the evidence.

I lived in Lima in a family house, but I was robbed by bad people and I was left living on the street. I didn’t have a job since at my age it’s difficult to find a job. Sometimes I was a security guard for cars and I could get to eat and sleep in a hotel of 20 soles a night (something like 8 dollars USD). Sometimes I had to beg for food at a restaurant when they were about to close.

Just one of those days, a man saw me in the restaurant asking for food. I remember him staring at me and, when I left, he came out to meet me a few meters from there and called me.

Continue reading The nail that sealed my coffin

Recruited to my doom

I am charged with manufacturing dangerous drugs, involving a cocaine case with about 1,600 grams. It was only after my arrest that I realized the seriousness of the situation. Drug offenses have sentencing guidelines, depending on the type and amount of drugs involved. For cocaine, the relevant range is between 1,200 grams to 4,000 grams, carrying a sentence of 23 to 26 years in prison!

So far, I have spent about two years in prison, and every day I feel very sad—my emotions are mixed with remorse, self-blame, and fear… especially after consecutively losing my closest family members, my father-in-law and my dad! I couldn’t even see them one last time!

One day, I saw an online recruitment ad “Quick money, no experience or education required”, and everything started from me clicking on that ad.

Continue reading Recruited to my doom

‘Gangster granny’ jailed for leading family gang dealing drugs worth £80m

A family-run organised crime group, orchestrated by a 65-year-old described by police as a “gangster granny”, has been sentenced for dealing drugs with a street value of £80m across the UK.

Deborah Mason, who had the moniker “Queen Bee”, and seven other members of the gang, were sentenced at Woolwich crown court in London on Friday for their involvement in supplying nearly a tonne of cocaine over seven months.

Continue reading ‘Gangster granny’ jailed for leading family gang dealing drugs worth £80m

The widening chasm

Allow me to share my story about how I got involved in dangerous drugs trafficking to Hong Kong.

I come from a family of four: my mother, father, younger sister, and me. In 2010, I lost my mother to a pulmonary disease, followed by my grandmother shortly after. I began to experience heartaches, sleepless nights, anxiety, and a feeling of emptiness. I went to the doctor, describing my symptoms, and was told I might have a brain tumor. After several tests, the doctor confirmed I was physically healthy but emotionally under extreme stress. I am still on medication for depression.

Determined to heal, I challenged myself to complete my college education while raising two children alone and working full-time. I developed an overwhelming urge to prove something to myself. Despite every reason to quit—lack of sleep, money, and resources—I earned my college degree. My plans were to graduate and find a good job, but life didn’t go as I hoped.

I felt sad yet empowered, knowing I had the fortitude to press on, especially for my daughter. I remember reading her congratulatory card: “Someday I hope to make you as proud of me as I am proud of you.” I was devastated, knowing my daughter needed a substantial amount of money to join high school.

“Someday I hope to make you as proud of me as I am proud of you.”

Continue reading The widening chasm

What gold can’t buy

I am a Guyanese national born in 1967. As a father of six children—four girls and two boys—I worked hard in construction to support my family. But getting work was getting more and more difficult.

So, I started gold mining for about ten years. With some of the money saved I bought a 4-inch dredge and employed two guys to work with me. Everything changed on February 19, 2015. It was a Thursday evening when I came out of the gold field with my production. Four guys attacked me. I tried to fight back, but one of them stabbed me in the back, and they took away all my production, about 125 ounces of gold.

I spent six months in the hospital and became wheelchair-bound.

…I was wearing diapers and using a catheter. With no parents alive and no inheritance, I resorted to begging on streets to support myself and my children.

Continue reading What gold can’t buy

Hard to build, easy to crumble

Everyone makes mistakes at some point in their lives. As a child, when I made a mistake, I would be scolded or punished by my parents or teachers, but in the end, I would all be forgiven. Yet, not all mistakes can be brushed aside, especially when one breaks the law. Such mistakes not only bring legal consequences but also destroy one’s future. I am an example of this life lesson…

I am 28 years old, and I have been in custody for nearly a year now. I was born in Shenzhen (China) and came to live in Hong Kong with my parents when I was 8 years old. Growing up, I was not particularly mischievous; my family always thought I was a sensible person, particularly because I started working part-time since the age of 15 to help with expenses.

But I did have a rebellious moment. Born into a grassroots family and raised in a public housing estate, it was inevitable that I would cross paths with  gangs and troublemakers…

When I was studying in Secondary One, I became acquainted with some friends who suggested me to “follow a gang leader.” to deal with the bullying I was suffering. I wanted others to know that I was not someone to be abused.

Continue reading Hard to build, easy to crumble

Dominican Republic records largest cocaine seizure

Authorities in the Dominican Republican say cocaine discovered in the country’s largest-ever seizure was headed to Europe.

Hidden in a banana shipment, officials found 9,500kg of the drug at a port in the capital, Santo Domingo.

The cocaine was hidden in 320 bags with an estimated street value of $250 million (£196 million).

Continue reading Dominican Republic records largest cocaine seizure

Completely blinded by cocaine addiction

I’m a 23-year-old Brazilian. I’ve always been dedicated to doing my job and to furthering my studies. I come from a simple, honest, Christian family.

When I was fifteen years old, I entered the world of drugs through the influence of false friendships and my curiosity. That’s when I started using cannabis. I confess that at first, I didn’t have much trouble, but my life turned upsideown when I started to use cocaine in 2019. Since that moment, my life has been full of pressure. I disliked my life; it was a terrible nightmare. I began working only to buy drugs. I was unable to stop myself from taking drugs, the cravings controlled me.

Many times I needed my family’s support to pay for the drugs. My mother tried to help me pay the debts for me because she was afraid that if I didn’t pay, I would get killed. My mother helped me several times, trying her best to protect me from taking drugs, but I never listened to my mom. And I made another debt afterward: my mother helped me to pay once again.

I lost most things in my life. My girlfriend left me because I had too many problems due to drugs. After that, I was terminated from my job. I didn’t have the strength to work. I was very thin and weak, my appearance was horrible, and I wouldn’t have the ability to work at all.

Continue reading Completely blinded by cocaine addiction

Five little angels

I’m a 25-year-old Brazilian with five children, currently living through a challenging time. I arrived in Hong Kong on May 8, 2023, and was immediately arrested. I’ve now been in prison for a year, spending holidays and family birthdays in this alien environment. Let me share a bit of my backstory.

I was born in Diadema, São Paulo, a place I scarcely know. At the age of four, my parents separated due to my father’s infidelities. Shortly after, my paternal grandparents moved to the countryside, and my mother distanced herself from me, blaming me for their separation. My father disappeared. Consequently, I moved in with my grandparents in the countryside.

As a child, I cried myself sick, yearning for the love of those who were supposed to care for me from my first breath.

Continue reading Five little angels

Drug courier’s addiction spirals out of control

Allow me to introduce myself. I was arrested on October 25, 2022, and have been in custody for 17 months. I face two charges of trafficking dangerous drugs on two separate occasions. I pleaded guilty in November and will be sentenced on June 27, 2024.

To be candid, my history with drug abuse only began around 2020. Compared to others who have been using drugs for 10 years or more, I’m relatively new to this. Regrettably, during the most difficult period of my life, my consumption may have been higher than others because I had easy access to large quantities of drugs as a wholesaler in the drug supply chain. There was a time when I consumed over 30g of cocaine in a single day, and periods when I didn’t return home, leaving behind my wife and our three-year-old daughter.

Looking back, I deeply regret my actions.

Continue reading Drug courier’s addiction spirals out of control

Gambled freedom for gambling debt

I was arrested for drug trafficking, a case involving three types of drugs. Although I’m not a drug user, you might ask, why did I get involved in this?

Previously, I worked at a finance company, answering phone calls. The job provided decent commissions, but it led to a gambling addiction. Eventually, I lost all my money and accumulated significant gambling debts. My family, using all their savings, helped me pay off these debts and loans.

My 72-year-old father is retired, dealing with a chronic illness that requires medication and regular check-ups. My mother, a 68-year-old housewife, works part-time as a cleaner. My older brother is a restaurant chef, and my sister works as a salesperson at a clothing store. We’re not wealthy, and while my family didn’t rush me to repay them, my guilt pushed me down the wrong path.

Eventually, I lost all my money and accumulated significant gambling debts. My family, using all their savings, helped me pay off these debts and loans.

A friend of a colleague heard about my desperate need for money – the rest, as they say, is history.

I’ve been in remand for about two and a half years for this first offense. I’ve noticed that many here have lost friends, family, jobs, and most importantly, their health due to drug addiction. Hence, I encourage them to quit drugs when they’re released, and I intend to spread this message when I’m released as well.

Note: This story was originally written in Chinese. It has been translated and edited to improve legibility. Switch language to read the original.