2008-01-08 00:23 Officers from the Narcotics Bureau of the Police (HKP) and the Customs & Excises Department (C&ED) have jointly conducted an anti-dangerous drugs operation against the influx of drugs by traffickers impersonating visitors through various Land Boundary Control Points. A total of 60 people were arrested during the operation. The operation, codenamed "KNOTSTRING", was conducted in two phases between August and December last year. The first phase, an intelligence-led operation was conducted between mid-August and mid-December in 2007. 55 people arrested, including 51 males and four females were arrested in 46 cases of drug trafficking. Among the arrestees, ten males and two females were teenagers aged between 16 and 20 and one was a 15-year-old boy. Large quantities of drugs, including 2,205.8 grams of Heroin, 28 kilograms of Ketamine, 4,294 grams of Cocaine, 317 grams of methamphetamine (Ice), 1,714 grams of Cannabis and 18,842 pieces of psychotropic drugs worth about HK$10.5 million, were seized. With the co-operation with Land Boundary Command and Rail & Ferry Command of C&ED and Uniform Branch and District Special Duty Squad of Border District of HKP and drug dogs, HKP and C&ED conducted the second phase between Christmas and New Year (from mid to end of December). Visitors and vehicles suspected of trafficking drugs were stopped and searched at various Land Boundary Control Points. A total of 481 visitors, 673 luggage and 39 cross-border vehicles were searched, resulting in the arrest of five men and seizure of 396 grams of heroin, 275 grams of Cocaine and 250 Ice worth over HK$0.31 million. With a view to avoid being detected and minimizing the loss, drug trafficking syndicates have been increasingly moving the drug stores to in mainland and employing people to and from Hong Kong with small amount of drugs each time. The Operation KNOTSTRING stopped the considerable influx of drugs during Christmas and New Year and targeting drugs trafficking with such modus operandi. |