The Judiciary Police (PJ) raided on Saturday a drug party at a karaoke bar in the city centre, where the officers arrested 18 men and 18 women, including three alleged drug dealers, and seized 1.31 grams of ketamine with an estimated street value of about 1,000 patacas.
PJ spokesman Ho Wai Lok said during a regular press conference yesterday that the three male drug dealers from Vietnam, aged between 27 and 36, include a blue card (work-permit) holder working for the Macau Public Security Forces.
The Vietnamese trio are surnamed Lam, Tran and Tran. The other 33 suspects – 15 men and 18 women, are aged between 21 and 44. Thirteen of the men arrested for taking drugs are Vietnamese non-resident workers (NRWs), while the other two are Macau and Hong Kong residents. All 18 female suspects are NRWs from Vietnam.
According to Ho, upon receiving a tip-off that a “drug party” was being held at a karaoke bar in the city centre, the Judiciary Police raided the premises on Saturday, including the bar’s VIP room, where the officers found the 36 suspects, all of them appearing to be stoned. The officers seized a plastic dish containing 1.31 grams of ketamine and a number of straws from the room’s table.
According to the PJ investigation, Ho said, the two Trans and Lam purchased the drugs for 14,000 patacas and distributed them to their fellow countrymen and friends during the birthday party. Ho added that the Judiciary Police believed that most of them consumed drugs during the party.
Twenty-four of the suspects tested positive for the drugs, including methamphetamine (aka ice), ecstasy (MDMA) and ketamine, according to Ho.
The 36 suspects were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday morning, facing a range of drug-related charges.
Ho said that at the time of the press conference, the Judiciary Police were still investigating the source of the drugs and the amount of drugs purchased, as well as whether the partygoers paid for any of the drugs and, if so, how much they had paid the trio.
DSC ‘highly’ concerned about its officer violating law
Meanwhile, the Correctional Services Bureau (DSC) released a statement yesterday in response to the suspected drug-related offence committed by a non-resident prison guard, stating that the bureau was “highly concerned” about the case and would fully cooperate with the relevant law enforcement entities in their investigations.
The statement underlined that the bureau has meanwhile launched internal disciplinary investigation procedures concerning the jail guard, adding that it was “deeply” saddened by the guard’s alleged breach of the law.
Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Ho Wai Lok looks on during yesterday’s regular press conference at the PJ headquarters in Zape. – Photo: Yuki Lei
