Police subdued and arrested a suspected drug trafficker after two officers were attacked during a late night identity check in Hong Kong.
The alleged assault took place near a sitting-out area at the junction of Cleverly Street and Burd Street in Sheung Wan at 12.47am on Tuesday, according to police.
The 29-year-old Colombian man was found to be acting suspiciously nearby and ran off as officers approached him for a stop and search. Officers then gave chase.
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Intercepted near the sitting-out area, the man allegedly punched two pursuing officers but was eventually overpowered and subdued.
“Officers found a small quantity of suspected cocaine and ketamine on the man,” police said.
The two policemen were injured and taken to Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam for treatment.
The suspect holds a recognisance form, a temporary identification document that permits the bearer to remain in the city but not work.
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He was detained on suspicion of assaulting police officers, resisting arrest and trafficking in a dangerous drug.
As of 11am on Tuesday, the suspect was still being held for questioning and had not been charged. Officers from the Central criminal investigation unit are handling the case.
Between April 11 and 20, police rounded up 41 people in a citywide operation to clamp down on drug activities related to cannabis with the deployment of undercover agents. The suspects included an engineer, an accountant, four university students and a high school pupil.
During the 10-day crackdown, officers seized nearly HK$2 million (US$254,870) worth of illegal drugs – 6.5kg of herbal marijuana, 4.1kg of cannabis buds, 300 grams of cannabis oil and 31.5 grams of cannabis-infused candies.
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According to the force, 15 of the 41 suspects were arrested as they allegedly sold illegal drugs to undercover agents in face-to-face transactions. The other 17 were detained when they were found with drugs after being stopped and searched on streets across the city.
Police said the 41 suspects were detained on suspicion of either drug trafficking or drug possession.
Seizures of five major illegal drugs – cocaine, cannabis, crystal meth, heroin and ketamine – more than doubled to 10,627kg last year from 4,678kg in 2020.
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