Two men and two women were arrested on Tuesday for their involvement in a cannabis (aka marijuana) case uncovered last Thursday after a fire broke out in a unit in an industrial building in the Patane district (as reported by The Macau Post Daily on Tuesday), Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Lou Chan Fai said at a special press conference on Wednesday, adding that a total of 2.33 grammes of cannabis with a street value estimated at 2,400 patacas was seized in the operation.
According to Lou, the four local suspects comprise a 29-year-old man, who works as a casino PR staff member surnamed Ho, a 29-year-old service saleswoman surnamed Chang, a 28-year-old man, who is a restaurant worker surnamed Lei, and a 31-year-old insurance saleswoman surnamed Tin.
Lou said that the Judiciary Police arrested a man surnamed Ng last Thursday at the unit in the industrial building in Rua da Ribeira do Patane and seized more than 350 grammes of marijuana products, 25 cannabis plants being grown, several tents and a large number of cultivation equipment in the unit.
After a follow-up investigation, Lou said, the Judiciary Police identified Ho, Lei, Chang and Tin as suspects, and arrested them in different districts on Tuesday, adding that two cannabis joints and 1.57 grammes of cannabis flowers were found in a flat in the city centre where Ho and Chang lived together. Lou noted that both Ho and Chang admitted that the cannabis products were provided by Ng and were for their own use.
According to Lou, PJ officers did not find any illicit drugs in Lei and Tin’s flats.
Lou noted that although Ho, Lei and Chang denied that they had “directly” participated in drug trafficking, the trio had assisted Ng many times in installing the marijuana cultivation equipment, and decorating the unit, so based on the objective evidence, it indicated that Ng and the trio were involved in growing cannabis.
According to Lou, Ho, Lei and Chang admitted to taking drugs.
Lou pointed out that as Tin was found to have stayed in the building for a while, the Judiciary Police did not rule out her involvement in drug trafficking, adding that Tin also denied that she had committed the crime.
Lou said that the quartet tested negative for drugs, adding that the Judiciary Police believe that the suspects were involved in criminal activity for profit.
According to Lou, Ho, Lei, Chang and Tin were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), where they face charges for a range of drug-related offences, such as drug abuse, and organised crime.
The hooded suspects are escorted by Judiciary Police (PJ) officers from the PJ headquarters to a PJ vehicle on Wednesday. – Photo: Yuki Lei
