A Taiwanese man and a local woman were arrested separately yesterday for growing cannabis at their flat in La Marina on Rua Central da Areia Preta, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Ho Chan Nam said during an outdoor press conference near the building where the pair live.
According to Ho, yesterday’s arrests are connected to the case of a Taiwanese man and a local man who were arrested in January for growing cannabis at their flat in Rua de Sacadura Cabral near Tap Seac.
A follow-up investigation led the police to the pair who were arrested yesterday, a 35-year-old Taiwanese man surnamed Chung who told the police that he works in public relations, and a 29-year-old local jobless woman surnamed Fok.
Ho said PJ officers identified the duo as possible suspects and put them under surveillance. The officers took action yesterday morning and arrested Fok near their home, while Chung was arrested in a casino hotel in Cotai.
PJ officers searched the flat and seized a cannabis plant, a portable greenhouse, a heating lamp, several bottles of liquid plant food, cannabis oil, a digital scale and some drug-taking paraphernalia.
Another team of PJ officers arrested Chung at the casino hotel in Cotai.
Under questioning, Chung admitted that he bought 10 cannabis seeds from a man he didn’t know at a night entertainment venue in Zape about two months ago for 1,500 patacas. Afterwards, he purchased online some growing equipment and started to grow cannabis at home. Chung also admitted that he had purchased cannabis seeds at the end of last year from one of the suspects involved in the drug case in Rua de Sacadura Cabral, according to Ho.
Ho said that the cannabis plant seized by the police was about 100 centimetres in height, adding that its street market value and weight would be confirmed later. The pair admitted that they have a habit of smoking cannabis. The Judiciary Police are continuing their investigation into the origin of the cannabis seeds and the whereabouts of other possible suspects as well as the duo’s possible involvement in drug deals.
The pair were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday, facing charges of illegal production of, and trafficking in narcotics and psychotropic substances as well as illegal possession of drug-taking paraphernalia, according to Ho.
Addressing yesterday’s press conference, case officer Lai Chio Hong urged the public not to grow or produce drugs for whatever purpose as both are serious crimes which could result in a prison term of more than 15 years.
The two hooded cannabis suspects are escorted by Judiciary Police (PJ) officers from their home in Rua Central da Areia Preta to a vehicle yesterday. Photo: Iong Tat Choi
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers show evidence seized from the Taiwan-Macau couple such as a cannabis plant, a portable greenhouse, drug-taking paraphernalia and plant food near the suspects’ home in Rua Central da Areia Preta yesterday.
