Police Sergeant and four others jailed for drug trafficking
2011-3-22
A Police Sergeant and four other persons, charged by the ICAC, were today (Tuesday) sent to jail at the District Court for trafficking in heroin.
Paul Lai Kwong-hing, 39, Police Sergeant, received a jail term of four years and four months.
Co-defendants Wong Kam-pang, 46, Chu Kam-yuen, 48, Kwok Chung-ming, 48, all drug traffickers, were each jailed for two years and eight months.
Another drug trafficker Polly Shum Suk-ying, 32, was jailed for three and a half years.
In sentencing, Deputy Judge Anthony Yuen Wai-ming said as a law enforcement officer, Lai had knowingly broken the law, and brought disgrace on the police.
The judge added that he had to mete out immediate custodial sentences to the defendants to reflect the seriousness of the offences.
Lai, Wong, Chu and Kwok earlier pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic in a dangerous drug. Lai alone admitted one charge of trafficking in a dangerous drug, while Shum pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and one of possessing a dangerous drug.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above offences.
The court heard that at the time of the offences, Lai was a sergeant at the command and control centre of the Kowloon West regional headquarters.
Lai was acquainted with Wong as the latter was arrested by Lai’s team in a police operation.
In September 2009, Lai approached Wong and asked him to buy heroin for trafficking, to which the latter agreed. Since November 2009, Lai and Wong packed the heroin into pellet form and passed them to Kwok, Chu and another person for peddling.
The court heard that between September 2009 and May last year, Lai arranged the sale of 40 to 60 pellets of heroin per day on average through the above persons.
The heroin pellets were sold at $150 each. Lai made a profit of $25 to $30 per pellet, while the others got about $20 to $25.
Shum admitted having unlawfully trafficked in 19.55 grams of heroin, and possessed 0.9 gram of heroin, the court was told.
The Police had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Peggy Lo, assisted by ICAC officer Keith Chu.
Paul Lai Kwong-hing, 39, Police Sergeant, received a jail term of four years and four months.
Co-defendants Wong Kam-pang, 46, Chu Kam-yuen, 48, Kwok Chung-ming, 48, all drug traffickers, were each jailed for two years and eight months.
Another drug trafficker Polly Shum Suk-ying, 32, was jailed for three and a half years.
In sentencing, Deputy Judge Anthony Yuen Wai-ming said as a law enforcement officer, Lai had knowingly broken the law, and brought disgrace on the police.
The judge added that he had to mete out immediate custodial sentences to the defendants to reflect the seriousness of the offences.
Lai, Wong, Chu and Kwok earlier pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic in a dangerous drug. Lai alone admitted one charge of trafficking in a dangerous drug, while Shum pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and one of possessing a dangerous drug.
The case arose from a corruption complaint. Subsequent ICAC enquiries revealed the above offences.
The court heard that at the time of the offences, Lai was a sergeant at the command and control centre of the Kowloon West regional headquarters.
Lai was acquainted with Wong as the latter was arrested by Lai’s team in a police operation.
In September 2009, Lai approached Wong and asked him to buy heroin for trafficking, to which the latter agreed. Since November 2009, Lai and Wong packed the heroin into pellet form and passed them to Kwok, Chu and another person for peddling.
The court heard that between September 2009 and May last year, Lai arranged the sale of 40 to 60 pellets of heroin per day on average through the above persons.
The heroin pellets were sold at $150 each. Lai made a profit of $25 to $30 per pellet, while the others got about $20 to $25.
Shum admitted having unlawfully trafficked in 19.55 grams of heroin, and possessed 0.9 gram of heroin, the court was told.
The Police had rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation.
The prosecution was today represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Peggy Lo, assisted by ICAC officer Keith Chu.