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HCCC410/2025
HKSAR v The Defendant
Case Details
Case ReferenceHCCC410/2025
CourtCourt of First Instance of the High Court 高等法院(原訟法庭)
Date Published2026-03-20
LanguageEnglish
NCN[2026] HKCFI 1476
Claimant / ApplicantHKSAR (Prosecution)
Defendant / RespondentThe Defendant
JudgesHon Tam J
Claimant CounselMr. Glen Kong, SPP
Claimant SolicitorsDepartment of Justice
Defendant CounselMr. Ken Ng
Defendant SolicitorsMessrs. Sidney Lee & Co.
Judgment Summary
Facts
- •Defendant arrested with 56.11 grammes of cocaine on 28 February 2023.
- •Admitted conspiracy to traffic cocaine and ketamine between 17-28 February 2023.
- •Whatsapp messages showed trafficking of at least 734 grammes of drugs.
- •Defendant acted as courier and storekeeper for an accomplice.
- •Defendant pleaded guilty to conspiracy charge; trafficking charge left on file.
Issues
- •Determination of drug quantities for sentencing where evidence is photographic.
- •Selection of sentencing test (absurdity, ratio, or conversion) for mixed drugs.
- •Assessment of defendant's role as courier cum storekeeper.
- •Application of aggravating factors for multiple drug types.
- •Calculation of guilty plea discount.
Outcome
- •Defendant sentenced to 9 years and 4 months imprisonment.
- •Notional starting point set at 13 years using conversion test.
- •Sentence enhanced to 14 years for aggravating factors.
- •One-third discount granted for guilty plea.
Implication
- •Affirms six-step sentencing framework for drug trafficking.
- •Court may infer quantities from evidence while giving benefit of doubt on drug type.
- •Conversion test preferred for sentencing involving mixed drug types.
- •Trafficking multiple drug types is an aggravating factor.
Laws & Authorities Cited
- §Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (Cap. 134), s.4(1)(a), (3), s.39
- §Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 200), s.159A, s.159C
- §HKSAR v Chan Kam Loi [2014] CACC 410/2012
- §HKSAR v Herry Jane Yusuph [2021] 1 HKLRD 290
- §HKSAR v Lee Ming Ho [2024] 1 HKLRD 1186
- §HKSAR v Chan Yuk Leong [2013] CACC 318/2013
- §HKSAR v Yim Hung Lui Ricky [2011] CACC 266/2011
- §HKSAR v Islam Azharul [2020] 1 HKLRD 644