A Vietnamese couple was arrested on Sunday night in the northern district for drug trafficking, and 239.9 grammes of marijuana with an estimated street value of about 239,900 patacas was seized, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Lai Chio Hong said at a special press conference yesterday.
The suspects are a 23-year-old jobless male surnamed Nguyen who is awaiting deportation to his country, and a 24-year-old woman surnamed Pham, a non-resident worker employed as a waitress.
Lai said that PJ officers were tipped off recently that a Vietnamese couple frequently sold marijuana to regular customers at night entertainment venues in the Barrier Gate area. The officers identified the duo and put them under surveillance on Sunday evening near the Barrier Gate checkpoint. At about 11 p.m. that day, the couple appeared at the junction in Avenida do Hipódromo and Rua da Serenidada. PJ officers intercepted the duo and found three packets containing 9.5 grammes of marijuana in total on Nguyen.
Afterwards, the officers went to a room rented by the couple in a residential building near the Red Market and 230.4 grammes of marijuana and drug-related paraphernalia were seized, such as an electronic scale, two plates and packaging tools.
Under questioning, Nguyen admitted that he bought the drugs online from an unknown person. The seller put the drugs in tea containers and mailed them to Macau by express delivery. After receiving the drugs, which were divided into about 3 grammes per pack, Nguyen sold them to customers at night entertainment venues at a price ranging from 800 to 900 patacas per pack. Nguyen said that he had sold 10 packs, earning about 8,500 patacas, Lai said.
According to Lai, Pham told the police that she did not know that her boyfriend had been selling drugs. However, Lai said, the police have gathered evidence showing that she was involved.
PJ officers are investigating the source of the drugs and the identities of the couple’s buyers, Lai said.
The couple was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday, facing drug trafficking charges, according to Lai.
Evidence seized from the Vietnamese suspects such as packets of marijuana, two tea containers, two plates, two smartphones and pataca notes is displayed during yesterday’s special press conference about the case at the pressroom of the Judiciary Police (PJ) headquarters.
The hooded Vietnamese suspects are escorted by Judiciary Police (PJ) officers from the PJ headquarters in Zape to a vehicle yesterday. Photos: Iong Tat Choi
