The Judiciary Police (PJ) arrested earlier this week seven men – comprising six Philippine nationals and a Hong Kong Chinese – in two separate drug busts, involving a total of 131.13 grams of crystal methamphetamine (aka ice) and 8.4 grams of cocaine with an estimated street value of about 440,000 patacas.
During a special press conference at the PJ headquarters in Zape yesterday, PJ spokesman Leng Kam Lon identified the suspects in the first case as three Filipinos, aged between 36 and 54, surnamed Manuel, Ramos and Aguilar, all holding Macau permanent ID cards. The suspects in the second case are aged between 38 and 55, surnamed Rivera, Lo, Ledda and Dilan. Rivera, a Philippine national, and Lo, a Chinese, are Hong Kong residents, while Ledda and Dilan are Philippine nationals without the right of abode in Hong Kong or Macau. Leng added that this is Ledda’s second arrest after his drug trafficking and drug abuse case in February. All the seven suspects tested positive for drugs.
On Tuesday, the Judiciary Police busted a drug trafficking racket targeting Filipinos and arrested two members – Ramos and Aguilar – at a residential flat on Rua da Praia do Manduco (下環街), resulting in the seizure of 23.58 grams of ice and 8.4 grams of cocaine worth 110,000 patacas as well as about 8,000 patacas in drug proceeds, according to Leng. He added that PJ officers putting the flat under surveillance made the drug arrests following Manuel’s purchase of a packet of 0.34 grams of ice for 200 patacas.
Meanwhile, the Judiciary Police cracked down on a cross-border drug smuggling gang on Wednesday after the smuggling of 107.55 grams of ice worth 330,000 patacas by two Hong Kong residents – Lo and Rivera – from Hong Kong to Macau via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) checkpoint, according to Leng. He said that PJ officers arrested the duo at a guesthouse in the city centre upon the arrival of Ledda and Dilan, adding that the Judiciary Police believe that the latter bought the drugs from the former to then sell in the local community.
Leng noted that under questioning, all the suspects refused to cooperate with the police. The Judiciary Police transferred yesterday them to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) for further investigation.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the seven hooded drug suspects in two separate groups from the PJ headquarters in Zape to PJ vehicles after yesterday’s special press conference. – Photos: Yuki Lei
