Man nabbed as customs seize over HK$42m of etomidate
Customs officers on Wednesday said they had found, for the first time, that a drug trafficking syndicate had set up a semi-automated production line to manufacture a large amount of etomidate capsules. A man was arrested on Tuesday after officers busted a suspected etomidate manufacturing centre and seized suspected etomidate with an estimated market value of about HK$42 million at a village…
Customs officers in Hong Kong made a significant arrest on Tuesday, apprehending a man suspected of involvement in a major drug trafficking operation. The individual was taken into custody following the bust of a suspected etomidate manufacturing center in a village house in Kam Tin. Authorities seized an estimated HK$42 million worth of suspected etomidate, including more than 3,000 capsules, 13.4 kilos of liquid etomidate, and 3 kilos of powder, along with various tools believed to be used in drug manufacturing and packaging.
Senior investigator Chan Kit-lun from the Drug Investigation Bureau revealed that the 61-year-old man faces charges of manufacturing and trafficking dangerous drugs. He is set to appear in Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts on Thursday. Chan emphasized that this marks the first instance of customs discovering a drug trafficking syndicate employing a semi-automated production line to manufacture etomidate capsules with precise capacities.
The sophisticated setup, coupled with the substantial quantity of raw materials seized, has the potential to produce over 160,000 capsules in a short period, posing a severe threat if the drugs were to enter the market.
Written by urgent.news from RTHK English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
