Cocaine Trafficker Gets 34-year Jail Sentence

A 39-year-old man was sentenced to 34 years in jail on Thursday after he was convicted of trafficking more than 67 kilogrammes of cocaine, in what police said was one of Hong Kong's biggest ever drug trafficking cases.

The High Court heard that delivery van driver Lui Wing-yip was arrested in a Sau Mau Ping carpark in June 2016 with three suitcases and a bag containing cocaine estimated to be worth about HK$100 million.

Lawyers for Lui had earlier pleaded for a lenient sentence, saying he wouldn't be able to see his eight-year-old daughter grow up if he was jailed for a long time.

But Judge Joseph Yau said Lui should have known the consequences when he committed the crime, so there were no grounds to cut the sentence short.

Meanwhile, Wong Yat-chin, 37, who was an accomplice of Lui, was jailed for 22 years and 8 months, after pleading guilty to two counts of drug trafficking and one count of possession of a dangerous drug.

The judge said Wong received a shorter sentence because he admitted the offence. But both men should be held criminally liable for participating in an illegal business, the judge added, despite the pair only playing "minor roles" in transporting the drugs.

Police Chief Inspector Alan Tam welcomed the outcome of the trial.

"I think the sentence could have a deterrent effect against traffickers. You can see the sentence of 34 years of imprisonment is an appropriate sentence," Tam said.

He also warned delivery drivers and taxi drivers they need to be careful about who or what they transport.