7 arrested in Hong Kong, including teacher, in crackdown on ‘space oil’ drug
Customs also seized anaesthetic that could produce HK$17 million worth of the narcotic
A Hong Kong primary school teacher is among seven people arrested in a crackdown on the illegal import and distribution of a newly emerging drug known as “space oil”, with customs officers seizing anaesthetics that could produce HK$17 million (US$2.2 million) worth of the narcotic.
Assistant Superintendent Ho Tin-hong of customs’ airport cargo unit said on Wednesday the database of its officers’ drug detection devices had been updated to include the anaesthetic etomidate, a raw material used to produce space oil capsules.
He said the handheld devices helped frontline officers at the airport to discover about 16kg (35lbs) of powdered etomidate in eight parcels from India on November 10, 11 and 17.
“We believe the haul was intended for an underground production centre, with the seized drug enough to produce more than 48,000 space oil capsules that have an estimated street value of HK$17 million,” Ho said.
According to the Customs and Excise Department, the eight parcels were sent out from two different consignors in India.
Ho said it was unusual for such products to be destined for residential addresses, and X-ray scans showed suspicious images.
