Tag: drug trafficking

Ignorant, but not innocent

I am a 26-year-old half-Pakistani charged with trafficking, involving approximately 90 grams of cocaine found in my residence during a police raid on May 1, 2022.

I grew up in a broken family. My parents divorced when I was four years old, leaving me to grow up with my mother, a single parent. Later, my stepfather frequently subjected me to physical abuse. One time, my injuries were so severe that my school called an ambulance, which took me to the hospital. This incident alerted the authorities, and my stepfather was subsequently taken to court on charges of domestic violence.

Continue reading Ignorant, but not innocent

A life utterly destroyed by drugs

Hello everyone, I’m sharing my story to urge you and your loved ones to steer clear of drugs. I’ve been in prison for two years on charges of dangerous drugs trafficking, specifically over 800+ grams. The sentence for this charge ranges from 20 to 23 years. That’s what I’m facing.

I am a 45-year-old man with a 73-year-old mother who suffers from chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes. I also have a 19-year-old son who is still in school. We lived together renting a place for HK$6,000 a month. I studied in Australia until the age of 13 but had to abandon my studies in year 11 due to my parents’ financial difficulties. I got married at 21, had my son at 26, and by 27, I was divorced and had custody of my son. It wasn’t easy being a single parent, but my mother was always there to help.

…But when she left me, taking most of my money, I was devastated. I turned to alcohol and eventually tried ICE, a drug a work friend suggested. This marked the downturn of my life. I treated my mother poorly, moved into an industrial building with my son, and squandered money on drugs.

Continue reading A life utterly destroyed by drugs

Will I ever see my girl again?

I resided with my father, stepmother, and stepbrother. Upon completing ninth grade, I immediately joined the workforce. In 2015, I got married and moved out, renting a place with my then-husband.

I became a full-time housewife after the birth of our daughter, and to supplement our income, I started an online shop selling cosmetics and baby products.

Sadly, my marriage was riddled with conflict, and in 2018 my husband took our daughter and severed all contact with me, my family, and my friends. He subsequently filed for divorce unilaterally and gained custody of our girl.

Continue reading Will I ever see my girl again?

My life in numbers

Six

I grew up in foster care from a young age under the Social Welfare Department. I lived in a total of six foster homes from the age of 2 to 12. Let me start with the first one. I lived there for four years, from the age of 2 to 6. Because I was very young at the time, I considered them my family – my father, mother, and brother. I didn’t know my biological parents then and thought that this was my very own family. However, that was not the reality. When I entered first grade, someone came to my home and took me to court for a family progress hearing. It was the first time I saw a man claiming to be my biological father. However, I was too young to understand anything, so I didn’t say anything to him. After that court hearing, the person who asked me to go to court came again and took me to another home, where I met a new family. After that, I never saw my original father and mother again. I knew I wouldn’t see them anymore.

Continue reading My life in numbers

Living in anguish far from home

I am now in detention and I want to share my story of how I got tricked into trafficking cocaine into Hong Kong on 25th October 2022. That was the day I got arrested at the Hong Kong International Airport upon arriving.I am a 29-year-old mother of two. In 2020, I got a call from my ex-husband because things could not work out between us. We had separated in 2016 when I had just gotten pregnant with our second child. I had to relocate to a different town because a lot had happened to me. I needed space. I had left home by then, my grandparents who raised me didn’t agree with me having a baby. They were scared that with the way I was maybe I would go dump the child in the street. So I left them and went to my childhood friend who was willing to take me in. We started living happily. We found work as sales agents at one of the most popular insurance companies in my country because before I could separate from my ex-husband I was already selling insurance.

Continue reading Living in anguish far from home

For my baby boy’s sake

My parents divorced when I was three years old, and I lived with my father, grandmother and my two brothers, who are about ten years older than me. My father worked diligently each day to provide for us, often leaving early in the morning and returning late at night. Consequently, the responsibility of my care fell on my grandmother with the help of my brothers.

I should have been grateful that I had three meals a day and a roof over my head. Why should I expect my father and grandmother to pay attention to my emotional needs?

I only reached elementary school level of education as my family couldn’t provide a suitable environment for my learning. Everyone only focused on making ends meet. To ease the financial strain on our family, I desired to start working early. This led to a loss of interest in studying, as I perceived earning money to be more valuable.

Continue reading For my baby boy’s sake

Woman arrested for hiding HK$770,000 worth of cocaine in body

A 55-year-old woman was arrested at the airport on Friday as customs detected a drug trafficking case and seized about HK$2.2 million worth of cocaine weighing 2 kg.

A 30-year-old woman who arrived in Hong Kong from the Democratic Republic of the Congo was arrested after she was found to have cocaine concealed in her body by Customs.

The woman was intercepted during customs clearance at Hong Kong International Airport after she flew to the city from the Democratic Republic of the Congo via Ethiopia last Friday (Oct 27).

Continue reading Woman arrested for hiding HK$770,000 worth of cocaine in body

Woman arrested for smuggling in HK$600k worth of drugs within body

Customs announced on Friday that they busted a drug trafficking case on October 25 (Wed) and seized about 570 grams of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about HK$600,000.

A 53-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bogata, Colombia, via Paris, France, on Wednesday (Oct 25).

During customs clearance, customs officers found her suspicious and suspected that she may have had drugs concealed inside her body. She was escorted to the hospital for an examination.

Continue reading Woman arrested for smuggling in HK$600k worth of drugs within body

Woman to stand in court for allegedly trafficking HK$1.4m worth of cocaine in her body

A 33-year-old woman will appear at the West Kowloon Court tomorrow (Wed) after she was arrested at the airport for trafficking in HK$1.4 million worth of cocaine inside her body.

Customs said the woman arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday from Johannesburg, South Africa, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“During customs clearance, officers found her to be suspicious and suspected that she had dangerous drugs concealed inside her body cavity. She was then escorted to the hospital for examination,” customs said.

Continue reading Woman to stand in court for allegedly trafficking HK$1.4m worth of cocaine in her body

Man arriving from Brazil arrested after customs seize HK$3.2m worth of cocaine

A 59-year-old man arriving from Brazil has been arrested after customs seized about 3 kg of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of HK$3.2 million at the airport.

Customs said the man arrived in Hong Kong from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, via Sao Paulo, Brazil and Doha, Qatar on Thursday.

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Man arrested for smuggling HK$12m worth of cocaine within electric wheelchair

Hong Kong saw its first case of drug smuggling via electric wheelchair as customs officers arrested one man.

Customs stated on Sunday that they were doing baggage clearance at the Hong Kong International Airport for a man who came from Sint Maarten via Paris on Saturday (Oct 14), with one of his two luggage items being an electric wheelchair.

When the wheelchair passed the x-ray examination, there was something suspicious about the image, and upon further inspection, it was found to be concealing suspected cocaine within the layers.

Continue reading Man arrested for smuggling HK$12m worth of cocaine within electric wheelchair

Woman arriving from Namibia arrested at airport for trafficking HK$2.2m worth of cocaine

A 55-year-old woman was arrested at the airport on Friday as customs detected a drug trafficking case and seized about HK$2.2 million worth of cocaine weighing 2 kg.

The woman arrived in Hong Kong from Windhoek, Namibia, via Addis Ababa of Ethiopia and Dubai of the United Arab Emirates yesterday (Fri), customs said.

Continue reading Woman arriving from Namibia arrested at airport for trafficking HK$2.2m worth of cocaine

Reflections in the stillness of the night

I was arrested for drug trafficking when I was 19 and will turn 21 on September 1st. One day after my birthday, I will be transferred to another detention center to continue my sentence. On October 6th 2023, I will be sentenced in the district court.

While in custody, I have had many conversations with spiritual counselors and received love and support from my family. I have come to realize and admit my mistakes. I pray to God, asking for forgiveness for my sins. During this time, I have promised myself that once I complete my sentence, I will be a good son to my family and make positive contributions to society.

I want to share my experience as a warning to young people who are still struggling in society. I hope they don’t choose a life of crime like I did.

Continue reading Reflections in the stillness of the night

Man arrested at Hong Kong airport with HK$2.1m of cocaine

A man was arrested after Customs seized about 2 kilograms of suspected cocaine worth HK$2.1 million at Hong Kong International Airport.

Customs announced on Sunday that officers found the batch of suspected cocaine concealed inside the interlinings of three book covers in a rucksack last Friday (Aug 11) during customs clearance.

Continue reading Man arrested at Hong Kong airport with HK$2.1m of cocaine

From remitting to on remand

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. Continue reading From remitting to on remand