Judiciary Police (PJ) Director Sit Chong Meng told reporters yesterday that, over the years, the Judiciary Police have maintained sustained joint anti-drug operations with cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) to successfully crack multiple drug trafficking cases.
Sit made the remarks on the sidelines of the kick-off ceremony of the 7-day “Citywide Anti-Drug Week” at NOVA Mall in Taipa.
In response to the new cross-regional smuggling tactic known as “drug parcels”, which are sent from the Chinese mainland to Macau and then posted back to the Chinese mainland, the Judiciary Police have established a collaboration mechanism with the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department’s anti-narcotics entity to synchronously track and crack down on such two-way illicit trafficking, Sit added.
Sit added that with the summer holiday approaching, passenger traffic at the local airport and Barrier Gate border checkpoint is expected to rise, increasing the potential risk of drug smuggling. Local police are maintaining close intelligence sharing with Chinese mainland and foreign anti-drug agencies to enable early warning and proactive intervention, he said.
Before answering reporters’ questions, Sit noted in a speech during yesterday’s kick-off ceremony that the Judiciary Police recorded 61 drug trafficking cases and 29 drug-abuse cases last year, marking a year-on-year increase, adding that despite the rise of drug cases, the police successfully cracked multiple major cross-border drug-trafficking operations, effectively curbing the flow of narcotics into local communities, Sit said.
According to Sit, his office will continue to focus on four strategic areas, covering intelligence-led operations, enhancing enforcement, anti-drug publicity for prevention, and technological advancement, aiming to deepen all aspects of its anti-drug efforts and build a robust defensive line against drugs for civil society.
Sit noted that the Judiciary Police are paying close attention to emerging novel psychoactive substances and are cooperating with other local government entities to comprehensively improve Macau’s drug control regulatory system. Following last year’s inclusion of 24 substances under controlled status, including etomidate, the Judiciary Police will continue to strengthen their anti-drug fight this year, with particular emphasis on full-scale regulation of etomidate analogues (commonly known as space oil), aiming to effectively counter the growing trend of drug concealment and promptly close legal loopholes, Sit said.
Meanwhile, the Judiciary Police launched their “Campus Anti-Drug Elite” programme this year, recruiting students from local schools. Through specialised training, participants are equipped to become “positive agents” who help the police disseminate drug-prevention and anti-drug messages.
The anti-drug week ends next Monday, featuring drug specimen exhibits, interactive booth games and anti-drug information display boards.
Judiciary Police (PJ) Director Sit Chong Meng (second from right) and fellow senior PJ officers look on before speaking to reporters after yesterday’s opening ceremony of the “Citywide Anti-Drug Week” at NOVA Mall in Taipa. – Photo: Ida Cheong
An anti-drug information board is displayed during the opening ceremony of the “Citywide Anti-Drug Week” campaign at NOVA Mall in Taipa yesterday. The anti-drug exhibition ends next Monday.
