Ice breakers: WIP Lam Man-han, SPC Li Chak-fai and SGT Tang Siu-keung reflect on the case

Evidence gathered by YT District Special Duty Squad Team Two head Woman Inspector Lam Man-han and her officers Sergeant Tang Siu-keung and Senior Police Constable Li Chak-fai, saw 23-year-old Wen Ka-ming sentenced to 20 years prison last December for using a teenage girl and three other women as drug couriers.

A year earlier, the trafficker offered to sell 56 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or "ice" to an undercover officer.

But instead of delivering in person, he sent two girls aged 16 and 18. The 16-year-old, admitting she was instructed to deliver the drug, was sentenced to four years prison.

"As she was just a teenager, we decided to make in-depth investigations into the case to bring the elusive mastermind to justice," WIP Lam said.

The girl, in further interviews with SGT Tang and SPC Li, said she couriered for Wen to pay off her debt to him, and revealed three other women serving jail terms had also acted as Wen's runners.

"Although the women positively identified Wen, the investigation was not all plain sailing as we failed to find any drugs when we arrested him at home in March last year," WIP Lam said.

"Although he denied any involvement in trafficking, we collected evidence such as meetings and telephone conversations between Wen and the witnesses to prove he lied in his caution statement and this was accepted by the court," SGT Tang said.

The trio said they were greatly satisfied with the success of the case, attributing it to their superiors' support in allowing them to continue investigations when evidence seemed scarce, and the co-operation of the witnesses.

"It is the most satisfying case in my 18-plus-years as a police officer," SPC Li said. "We spent a lot of time and energy pursuing a case which many people doubted would bring results."

On the significance of the case, WIP Lam said: "It has given a strong signal police and the courts will not tolerate the use of minors as drug couriers. The prosecution also applied for an enhanced sentence under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance.

"The court was fully satisfied criteria for enhancing the sentence had been met, however it did not impose a more severe sentence as the 20-year jail term was deemed sufficient."

WIP Lam now heads Yau Tsim's District Intelligence Section while SGT Tang and SPC Li have transferred to Kwai Chung Division Task Force Sub-unit and Tsim Sha Tsui Division Patrol Sub-unit Two respectively.



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