Hong Kong police have arrested 74 people in an anti-triad operation and seized HK$1.6 million (US$206,000) of drugs, including “space oil”, a narcotic which has rapidly become popular among youngsters.
The 41 men and 33 women, aged between 19 and 70, were apprehended over 10 days and accused of operating gambling dens, trafficking drugs and wounding, among other offences. Some of them were believed to have triad affiliations.
“We raided five brothels and six illegal gambling dens,” Senior Inspector Ng Ka-lun said on Thursday. “We also seized a large amount of gambling tools and cash worth more than HK$250,000.”
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In a press briefing, the force displayed the confiscated tools, which included cash-counting devices, a baccarat table and electronic betting machines.
The operation, conducted from March 3 to 12, targeted the financial sources of triad activities. The force seized 36 capsules of space oil, 327 grams of crack cocaine, 40 grams of cocaine and 2.3kg of Marijuana.
The drugs seized are worth more than HK$1.6 million.
Ng highlighted the alarming trend of selling space oil on online platforms and warned parents to be vigilant regarding their children’s social circles.
He said that last year, 130 people were sent to the hospital due to space oil inhalation, adding that three of them died.
The force said nine people were arrested for allegedly trafficking drugs and conspiring to do so, while about 30 others, including the 70-year-old , were caught for illegal gambling.
The other offences were possessing dangerous drugs, claiming to be a member of the triad, criminal damage, wounding, using counterfeit money and stealing.
More from South China Morning Post:
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