Hong Kong police arrest 3, seize HK$2.2 million of crack and cocaine

Hong Kong police have arrested three suspects for allegedly manufacturing dangerous drugs after finding more than 2kg (4.4lbs) of crack cocaine and cocaine worth HK$2.2 million (US$283,000) in a village house in Sheung Shui.

Senior Inspector Lui Long-ching of the Tseung Kwan O police district’s anti-triad section said on Saturday that officers arrested two men, aged 23 and 30, and a woman, 23, the day before. The arrests were made on Friday evening outside the village house that was suspected to be a manufacturing site for illegal drugs.

“The force noticed that criminals have exploited village houses in remote locations as a drug manufacturing centre, to make it harder for detection,” Lui said.

The senior inspector said the house was difficult to locate unless one lived in the area or was familiar with the surroundings, but emphasised that hiding criminal activity in faraway locations would not deter police.

Officers discovered 1.29kg of crack cocaine, 1.09kg of cocaine, a batch of suspected raw materials for drug production, and tools, such as electric balances and induction cookers, inside the house.

The house was used to make crack cocaine from raw materials, which was then packaged into small sachets for distribution, police intelligence found.