UN says cocaine demand, production booming

Cocaine demand and supply are booming worldwide and methamphetamine trafficking is expanding beyond established markets, including in Afghanistan where the drug is now being produced, a United Nations report said on Sunday.

Coca bush cultivation and total cocaine production were at record highs in 2021, the most recent year for which data is available, and the global number of cocaine users, estimated at 22 million that same year, is growing steadily, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said in its annual World Drug Report.

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Double the mistake, double the shame

I am a 40-year-old man who works as a porter and earns HK$25,000 per month. On July 14, 2022, the day I received my salary, I was arrested by a plainclothes officer. Prior to my arrest, I had used HK$5,000 to purchase some ketamine and cocaine, roughly 3.95g and 1.9g respectively.

Although I had only intended to bring these drugs home for me and my friends, my lawyer informed me that this still counts as a trafficking offense. As a result, I am facing a minimum sentence of three years. The sentence for trafficking 0-10 grams of ketamine is two to four years, which means that based on the amount I had, my sentence will be between two years and six months to two years and eight months. The sentence for trafficking 0-10 grams of cocaine is two to five years. Since I had both types of drugs on me, an additional six months will be added to my sentence.

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Hong Kong police seize 227kg of cocaine in biggest bust of the year

Hong Kong police seized 227 kilograms of suspected cocaine from two industrial units on Friday and made five arrests, in what amounts to the largest haul of the year.

In a separate raid on Friday, 10 kilograms of suspected heroin concealed in cosmetics were seized from a residential flat in Jordan, the Force announced on Sunday.

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Three Hongkongers arrested in Macau for trafficking HK$100,000 worth of drugs

Three Hongkongers, including two youngsters aged 17 and 19, were arrested in Macau over a drug trafficking case in which about HK$100,000 of drugs were seized by police there.

Macau police first targeted and arrested one of the teenagers in New Port on Wednesday night. Officers later seized 32.6 g of ketamine, 3.3 g of “ice” drug, 7.3 g of cocaine, and 3.8 g of an unknown powder in the teen’s hotel room.

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Woman arriving from Africa caught keeping 67 cocaine pills inside body and arrested

A 35-year-old woman arriving in Hong Kong from Africa was arrested by customs on Sunday for smuggling 67 cocaine pills weighing about 1 kg inside her body.

The woman flew to the SAR from Nairobi, Kenya via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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Man arrested for HK$4 million cocaine manufacturing and trafficking in Tin Shui Wai

Police announced on Sunday that a drug manufacturing workshop was smashed in Tin Shui Wai with 4.3 kilograms of cocaine seized and a 34-year-old arrested.

The arrestee, surnamed Lai, was unemployed and intercepted by officers during an anti-narcotics operation last Friday.

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Path of regret: A mother’s struggle with drug addiction and redemption

I am a 43-year-old woman who grew up in a normal and healthy family with my parents and six siblings. I first encountered drugs when I was around 16 or 17 years old. A schoolmate from a higher grade let me try cocaine for the first time. After graduating from Form 5, I started working as a salesperson and continued to support my drug habit by using my salary to purchase cocaine. I attempted to join a voluntary drug detoxification program twice, but was unsuccessful. I just couldn’t manage to detoxify within only 14 days.

Later on, I met my current husband, who knew about my drug addiction and hoped I could quit. Unfortunately, my addition had a strong grip on me and I was unable to overcome it. We have three children, but I continued to use cocaine. Continue reading Path of regret: A mother’s struggle with drug addiction and redemption

Year’s biggest drug bust nets HK$100m cocaine with one suspect arrested

Police on Tuesday cracked the city’s largest cocaine trafficking case this year, seizing more than 164 kilograms of drugs with a market value of HK$136 million and arresting a man in Fanling.

The 45-year-old arrestee surnamed Fan was unemployed and intercepted by officers during an anti-narcotics operation.

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The Jade Exchange

I am writing from a correctional institution, where I am on remand awaiting trial. I’m being charged with “trafficking in dangerous drugs”.

Allow me to share my story.

My accomplice and I were acquainted through an online recruitment ad. We were assigned to travel to Brazil and Kuala Lumpur respectively. Our recruiter first asked my accomplice to pick up a package of jade from Brazil and then travel back to Hong Kong.

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Customs seizes HK$52m worth of suspected cocaine, shuts down Cheung Sha Wan drugs storage

Hong Kong Customs has confiscated about HK$52 million worth of suspected cocaine and arrested a man during an anti-narcotics operation, also shutting down a newly set up drugs storage in Cheung Sha Wan.

Customs officers intercepted a man at the car park of a private residential estate in Cheung Sha Wan on Wednesday afternoon and found about 1kg of suspected cocaine inside his rucksack. The man was subsequently arrested.

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Brazilian woman arrested at HK airport with HK$2.6m cocaine

Hong Kong Customs arrested a female passenger at the Hong Kong International Airport, seizing three kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about HK$2.6 million.

The arrested, 43, claimed she was a homemaker and arrived in Hong Kong for “traveling” from São Paulo, Brazil, via Doha, Qatar, during the arrest yesterday (November 25th).

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Victim of an elaborate mafia scheme

This is the story of how I came to be in custody by Hong Kong’s Customs for being found in possession of dangerous drugs upon my arrival at the Hong Kong International Airport on Saturday, October 6, 2018.

I’m a 64-year-old man from Honduras. I’m a professional in Social Sciences and Social Work with a Master’s degree in Public Health from the National University in Honduras. I’ve dedicated more than 35 years to the management, design, and implementation of social projects for poor families in my country. I did this work through NGOs and in close coordination with governmental programs.

In May 2018 I was contacted by the United Nations and the Central Bank of Nigeria (BCN) about the approval of some funds to work on social programs for the next seven years (2018-2025). The funds would be channeled through the UN which would pay the funds through the Nigerian Central Bank and the latter through the HSBC bank in Hong Kong. 

Before I traveled to Hong Kong I was informed I would need to go to Sao Paulo Brazil first to sign some documents (certificates of approval). I was sent the money for the journey.

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Russian roulette

I’m a woman, a Russian citizen. I want to share with you the tragic story of my life. I’m now in custody in Hong Kong, awaiting my sentence.

In or about autumn 2016, a good friend told me about her boyfriend who was at the time in Brazil working and would soon return to Russia. Not long later, after her boyfriend returned, I asked him for details of the job he was doing while in Brazil. He told me he did nothing serious, he had been sent to Brazil to pick up a suitcase and transport it to Asia. My friend then gave me the name of the guy who sent her boyfriend to Brazil. He is from Belarus. 

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Thirteen-year-old arrested for cocaine trafficking

A 13-year-old teen was arrested for trafficking cocaine in Tseung Kwan O at around Sunday midnight.

Police officers in Tseung Kwan O conducted a drug crackdown around Ming Tak Estate at about Sunday midnight when they found a suspicious boy outside Ming Kok House.

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Suspected drug dealer arrested while posing as food delivery driver

Customs officers have on Friday arrested a fake food delivery driver over suspicions he was using the disguise as a front to sell drugs.

The 25-year-old man was found with HK$26 million worth of suspected cocaine when he was stopped by officers in Shau Kei Wan.

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