COURT: The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic in a dangerous drug. On 28 April 2020, the defendant was intercepted by police officers at Cheung Sha Wan. Upon a body search, 80.1 grammes of ‘Ice’ was found underneath his underpants. He was then arrested. A car key was also found in his hand.
With the car key, police officers searched the private car, the vehicle, which the defendant was seen to get off shortly before. Inside the vehicle, police officers found a further 29.8 grammes of ‘Ice’. A total of 109.9 grammes of ‘Ice’ was seized during the interception.
The defendant was then taken back to a police station. He admitted during his video-recorded interview that he was instructed by one ‘M Chai’ to collect the drugs in question and deliver them to customers/people. He would then be paid $1,000 as reward for every day he worked. The defendant admitted further that between 16 April and 28 April 2020, he had collected and delivered about 400 grammes of ‘Ice’.
The defendant is 49, separated with his wife. Prior to his arrest, he was unemployed. Apart from an assault occasioning actual bodily harm record, he is clear of any drug-related conviction. The reason for him to commit the present offence is financial hardship.
Guideline for trafficking in 300 to 600 grammes of ‘Ice’ is one of imprisonment between 15 and 20 years. Although the defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy, in effect he committed the substantive offence as admitted.
In this case, the starting point would then be set at 16½ years. That would be 198 months. Giving the defendant the usual one-third discount for the offence the defendant stands convicted, he is sentenced to 11 years.