The anti-narcotics operation was conducted on Wednesday afternoon, and officers intercepted the teenager outside a housing estate who was carrying a luggage case, in which officers found 11 tinfoil bags with tea bag labeling printed on them.

Officers then opened the tinfoil bags and found suspected methamphetamine vacuum sealed inside.

Preliminary investigations found that the syndicate attempted to escape law enforcement by covering up their drugs with tea bag packaging, according to Tom Cheung Kwong-tat, senior investigator from the customs’ drug investigation bureau.

Cheung added the 15-year-old teenager has skipped school since he was in secondary two and remains unemployed. The teen is also a member of a triad society and suspectedly deals drugs under the triad’s control. He is responsible for receiving and distributing the drugs and gets paid a few thousand dollars for each gig, Cheung also said.

The teen has been charged with trafficking in a dangerous drug and will appear in Fanling Magistrates’ Courts on Friday morning.

Cheung continued that it breaks his heart to discover that many teenagers have recently been dealing drugs. He reminded parents to keep an eye on their kids if they suddenly have a lot of money to purchase luxurious items, as well as the friends they make.

He also warned teenagers not to think they can escape the consequences of breaking the law just because of their young age.

Drug trafficking is a serious offense in Hong Kong, and the maximum penalty carries a HK$5 million fine and life imprisonment, Cheung stressed.