The Judiciary Police have recently released a report on Macau’s drug-related offences from January 2021 to May this year, noting that PJ officers arrested a total of 128 drug suspects involved in 61 cases last year, of whom 92 were caught for drug trafficking, 30 for drug taking, and six for other drug offences, including the manufacturing and possession of narcotics and psychotropic substances and drug-taking paraphernalia, as well as for encouraging drug-takers’ habit, a year-on-year increase of 29 percent.
According to the Judiciary Police, their officers investigated 50 drug-trafficking cases last year, a figure that is lower than that of 2021 and higher than that of 2022, with the increase mainly due to Macau’s return to normalcy with the resumption of its major border checkpoints in 2023, as well as the opening-up of new drug trafficking routes by gangs in the neighbouring regions.
The PJ report showed that there were nine young people under the age of 21 involved in drug offences last year, pointing out that although they were all non-local residents and the proportion of young people involved in drug offences remained “extremely low”, as Macau’s economy recovers and cross-border transport links have become more convenient, the risk of young people coming into contact with drugs has increased due to attempts by drug gangs outside Macau to use them to smuggle drugs to the city.
According to the PJ statistics, in the first five months of the year the Judiciary Police arrested 74 drug suspects, 25 for drug trafficking and 46 for drug taking. Among them, the PJ report showed, three were aged between 16 and 21.
Meanwhile, in commemoration of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking today, the Judiciary Police are holding their Citywide Anti-Drug Week at NOVA Mall in Taipa, which will come to an end on Friday.
This handout photo provided by the Judiciary Police (PJ) on Saturday shows a boy posing with the PJ anti-drug mascot Lador at NOVA Mall in Taipa.
