The Judiciary Police (PJ) arrested a couple from Hong Kong for drug-trafficking and drug-taking on Thursday, PJ spokesman Ho Wai Lok said during a special press conference on Friday.
Ho identified the couple as a 68-year-old male cleaner surnamed Li and a 59-year-old female surnamed Lo, who claimed to be jobless.
At around 4 p.m. on Thursday, the Judiciary Police received a report from a hotel staff member in Zape about a guest behaving suspiciously. Upon arriving at the scene, PJ officers intercepted the couple and seized three packets of suspected cocaine from Li, weighing around 29.43 grams in total, along with HK$83,300 (85,800 patacas) in suspected drug proceeds, Ho said.
During a search of the hotel guestroom where the two suspects were staying, Ho said, PJ officers seized three more additional packets of suspected cocaine weighing around 4.82 grams in total, along with drug taking paraphernalia including glass containers, glass tubes, and lighters. In total, 34.25 grams of cocaine were confiscated during the operation, with an estimated street value of 68,500 patacas, according to Ho.
The investigation revealed that both suspects have a habit of drug use, with urine tests returning positive results, Ho said, adding that the drugs were smuggled into Macau from Hong Kong by Li, for sale here.
Ho also said that the pair had been staying in Macau for about two to three months.
Ho added that the exact duration of their stay at the hotel and the intended recipients of the drugs were still under investigation during Friday’s press conference.
The couple were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) on Friday, facing charges of drug-trafficking, drug-taking, and possession of drug taking paraphernalia.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the two hooded drug suspects from Hong Kong to a PJ van outside the PJ headquarters in Zape on Friday. – Photo: Maria Cheang Ut Meng
