Eleven arrested in Yau Ma Tei hotel underground drugs parties
Eleven people aged 29 to 57 were arrested by police on Tuesday night for indulging themselves in drugs parties secretly held in multiple hotel rooms in Yau Ma Tei, as officers seized drugs and injection tools worth over HK$670,000 in total.
Police said they learned that the criminals rented hotel rooms in the district as a small drug warehouse and distributed the drugs to customers in other rooms to make profits.
Officers said they raided four rooms in a hotel on Portland Street in Yau Ma Tei around 7pm Tuesday and arrested six men and five women aged 29 to 57 on suspicion of trafficking in, possessing and consuming dangerous drugs.
One of the male arrestees was believed to be the person who rented and offered other hotel rooms to his customers, and two arrestees were found to be triad members.
Police also arrested two men and two women for obstructing police as they tried to stop officers from entering the rooms. Most of the arrestees have jobs while some are housewives and jobless. All are now remanded in custody.
During the operation, police seized 140g of cocaine, 22.3g of “ice” drug, and 4.84g of cannabis buds worth about HK$270,000. Officers confiscated a vehicle suspected to be used for drug trafficking as well.
Police noted the operation has been going on since late October and officers have arrested 14 people so far, including seven men and seven women from seven rooms in two Yau Ma Tei hotels.
Police found that the arrestees could be renting the hotel rooms for a few days or a whole month as they need not to stay for a long time and can switch rooms anytime they want.
The drugs and injections tools seized in the operation are worth over HK$670,000, officers added.
Police called on managers and hoteliers to report to police if they find any suspicious items or weird smell when cleaning the rooms, or anyone repeatedly entering and leaving the same room.