Two Charged After HK$57 Million Cannabis Bust
HK01 · 8 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago5 MIN
Summary
The latest development is that the two arrested men have now been temporarily charged and are due to appear at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on September 4 over the Cheung Sha Wan case. Police said the suspected drug storehouse in an industrial building had been operating for only several days before it was raided on September 1. Officers seized about 243 kilograms of suspected cannabis flower, including 44 kilograms found on a trolley outside the unit and another 199 kilograms inside, with the haul valued at about HK$57 million. Investigators also said an air freshener was found in the unit, suggesting traffickers had tried to mask the strong and distinctive smell of cannabis.
Key Points
- Senior Inspector Tong King-pui (湯敬培) of the Narcotics Bureau said detectives intercepted a 41-year-old local man outside the industrial unit on September 1.
- Officers found about 44 kilograms of suspected cannabis flower on the man's trolley, then escorted him back to the unit for a search.
- Inside the unit, detectives seized another 199 kilograms of suspected cannabis flower and later arrested a second suspect, a 42-year-old man, in the same building.
- Police said the 42-year-old allegedly handled control and management, while the 41-year-old was recruited to watch the storehouse and deliver drugs.
- Both men reported working as renovation workers; some reports said they knew each other, had triad backgrounds, and one allegedly received HK$20,000.
Why It Matters
The case has moved quickly from seizure to prosecution, with both suspects expected in court on September 4, showing how fast major narcotics investigations can progress once charges are laid. Police also used the case to warn residents to report units giving off persistent suspected cannabis smells, after officers found an air freshener apparently used to conceal odour inside the storehouse.