13-year-old among 321 arrested as Hong Kong police seize drugs worth HK$130m

Hong Kong police have arrested 321 people, including a 13-year-old, and seized HK$130 million (US$16.5 million) worth of suspected illegal drugs during a seven-week citywide crackdown.

Code-named “Tailbacker”, the operation ran from July 12 to August 29, and uncovered 234 drug-related cases, police said on Sunday.

The 321 suspects, aged between 13 and 72, comprised 228 men, 65 women and 28 minors. They were arrested for suspected offences that included the manufacturing, possession, and trafficking of dangerous drugs, as well as operating a drug den and possessing Part 1 poisons. Some have already been formally charged.

The underage suspects comprised 19 boys and nine girls, all under the age of 18.

Over the course of the operation, officers seized 231kg (509 lbs) of suspected illegal drugs with a market value of HK$130 million, including 76kg of cocaine, 65kg of ketamine, 3.7 litres of liquid etomidate, and 6,400 etomidate vape pods, as well as some heroin, cannabis and methamphetamine.

Police noted a significant increase in etomidate seizures compared with similar operations last year.