Overstayer held in $26m drug haul

Police seized HK$25.8 million worth of suspected cocaine and methamphetamine in a subdivided flat in Mong Kok and arrested a Bangladeshi man on a "going-out pass."

The police said yesterday the 36-year-old who claimed to be unemployed was detained and would be charged with two counts of drug trafficking. He will appear in West Kowloon magistrates courts today.

Officers made the arrest and seizure on Saturday night while inspecting a building on Portland Street after receiving a tipoff.

They noticed a man acting suspiciously in the stairwell, who was then stopped and searched. About 3.3 kilograms of suspected cocaine was discovered in a paper bag he was carrying.

Officers then searched the man's residence, where they found an additional 12.1 kg of suspected cocaine and 1.4 kg suspected methamphetamine.

There were also two digital scales, several suitcases, rubber bands, gloves and roughly 223.9 kg of powder, which the police said could be used to dilute the drugs.

"We believe the flat functions as a drug warehouse, as we didn't find tools for drug production," Tsang Tsz-yau, senior inspector of the narcotics bureau said.

"It's likely that drugs are stored and packaged here, and then distributed for sale to other places," he added.

The police later found out that the suspect was neither a tenant nor the owner of the flat, according to Tsang.

The man was believed to work for a criminal group, but had no triad background. He was a holder of a temporary "going-out pass," a form of recognizance for overstayers.