Hong Kong customs seizes HK$42 million worth of 'space oil' in drug bust
Quick Look
- Hong Kong customs arrested a man and seized HK$42 million (US$5.3 million) worth of the illegal narcotic 'space oil' from a drug workshop in Kam Tin, Yuen Long.
- The workshop contained a semi-automated production line capable of producing up to 160,000 etomidate cartridges, along with over 3,000 suspected cartridges, 13.4kg of liquid etomidate, 3kg of powder, and manufacturing equipment.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Etomidate, formerly known as 'space oil', is an illegal narcotic. Hong Kong customs routinely conducts operations against drug manufacturing and trafficking.
Hong Kong customs has arrested a man and seized HK$42 million (US$5.3 million) worth of the illegal narcotic “space oil” from a drug workshop fitted with a semi-automated production line capable of producing up to 160,000 cartridges in a short period.
Senior investigator Chan Kit-lun of the Customs and Excise Department’s drug investigation bureau said officers intercepted a suspicious man on Tuesday and escorted him to a property in Kam Tin, Yuen Long.
Inside, they found more than 3,000 suspected cartridges containing etomidate, formerly known as space oil, about 13.4kg (29.5lbs) of liquid etomidate, 3kg of etomidate powder, and a range of drug-manufacturing and packaging equipment.
Investigators found that the syndicate had installed a semi-automated production line featuring a high-precision liquid-filling machine.
Chan said the seized raw materials, if fully processed using the production line, could have yielded up to 160,000 etomidate cartridges in a short time, posing a serious risk if released onto the market.
Open Questions
- What charges will the arrested man face?
- Is the syndicate linked to other drug operations in Hong Kong or regionally?
- What is the origin of the etomidate raw materials seized?
