COURT: The defendant has pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking in a dangerous drug, contrary to section 4 of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance. He is committed to this court for sentence.
In the evening on 25 March 2024, the defendant was intercepted by police officers outside a public housing unit in Kwong Yuen Estate, Sha Tin. Upon seeing the police, the defendant immediately discarded a bag which he was carrying at the time. Upon his arrest, police officers searched the bag and found 292.41 grammes of cocaine. Inside the public housing unit, police officers seized a further 1,061 grammes of cocaine and various drug paraphernalia.
The street value of all the cocaine seized in question was estimated to be over HK$1.7 million.
The defendant is now 35, educated up to Form 3 level. He has five criminal records, two relating to trafficking in a dangerous drug. He was only released from prison on January 2023 for his last trafficking offence.
In view of the circumstances surrounding the defendant’s arrest and the finding of cocaine in question, the two charges can be treated as one transaction and will be sentenced on that basis. The notional starting point for trafficking in 1,353 grammes of cocaine is one of 19 years and 4 months.
Given his past similar records, an extra 8 months will be added. Without any further evidence pointing to otherwise, the defendant will be treated as a simple courier.
Apart from his plea, I do not see any other mitigating factors, a full one-third discount will be given for his earliest plea.
As such, for the two counts of trafficking in a dangerous drug the defendant stand convicted, he is sentenced to 13 years and 4 months’ imprisonment, ie 160 months’ imprisonment, both counts are to run concurrently with each other.
