A Vietnamese non-resident worker (NRW) was arrested on Wednesday when collecting a parcel, containing 495 tablets of methcathinone (aka drone, M-CAT, White Magic, meow meow, bubble, txomin and yurrpt), weighing 175 grammes and valued at 98,000 patacas, at a pickup point in the Avenida de Horta e Costa district, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Chan Wun Man said at a special press conference on Friday, adding that it was the first time the Judiciary Police had detected methcathinone in Macau.
According to Wikipedia, methcathinone is a substitution for cathinone. It is used as a recreational drug due to its potent stimulant and euphoric effects and is considered to be addictive, with both physical and psychological withdrawal occurring if its use is discontinued after prolonged or high-dosage administration. Methcathinone is usually snorted but can be smoked, injected, or taken orally.
Chan noted that the 41-year-old male suspect, Pham, who has been working in Macau since 2016, told police that he works as a chef.
Chan said that based on intelligence exchange with Hong Kong Customs recently, the Judiciary Police discovered that someone had sent a drug parcel from Southeast Asia to Macau via Hong Kong, and identified Pham as the addressee of the box.
When the package arrived in Macau, PJ officers put the pickup point under surveillance and intercepted Pham on Wednesday afternoon when he collected his “car parts” parcel at the pickup point, Chan said, adding that PJ officers found that the 495 tablets of methcathinone had been hidden under the car parts in the parcel.
Besides, Chan said, 16 packs of cigarettes and 68 packs of e-vape, containing cannabinoids were found in Pham’s flat in the city’s centre.
Chan said that Pham refused to cooperate in the investigation, adding that Pham tested negative for drugs.
Pham has been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing a drug-trafficking charge.
Evidence seized from the Vietnamese suspect such as tablets of methcathinone is displayed during Friday’s special press conference at the Judiciary Police headquarters in Zape. – Photo courtesy of TDM
