COURT: I have to sentence you for trafficking in dangerous drugs. As you will know, the sentencing in Hong Kong is based upon guidelines which depend upon the nature of the drug and the quantity of it. The drug in your case was ketamine. You had 1,685 grammes of a powder containing 1,394.18 grammes of ketamine.
You were arrested whilst out and about in To Kwa Wan and hidden on your person was 164 grammes of drug. You were taken back to your own residential premises where the rest of the drugs were found alongside packaging equipment and scales.
You made immediate admissions and alleged that you were doing this on the instructions of somebody else, being paid for a successful delivery.
In a nice mitigation from your counsel, I have learned that you were 20 years old at the time and that you frankly admitted doing this because you were tempted by the easy money. I have listened to the letter that has been read out that you wrote to the court and I do hope that your expressions of regret and your assertions of the determination to use the imprisonment that is to come to improve yourself and to educate yourself are true. Of course, the most effective mitigation you have is that you have pleaded guilty and I do take into account that that plea was tendered at the earliest possible time.
It is a sad fact that you had been to Training Centre and committed this offence some 8 months after your release.
I am bound by the guidelines. There is nothing exceptional in your case that would justify departing from them. But bearing in mind the early plea and the matters your counsel put before me, I will put you at the bottom end of the bracket that is available to me.
Bearing all the matters in mind, I have come to the conclusion that the right starting point is one of 15½ years. With your one-third discount for the plea of guilty, that will result in a sentence of 10 years and 4 months. I know that is a long time but please believe me, it is the least sentence I feel I can pass upon you in the circumstances.
That is the total sentence I pass upon you, 10 years and 4 months, and that is based on the total amount of ketamine. However, there are two charges and what I shall do in relation to the 1st charge is pass a sentence of 7 years’ imprisonment for the starting point, discount it down to 4 years and 8 months, but I shall order that to be concurrent to the 10 years and 4 months which is based upon the total amount in the usual way.
The total is 10 years and 4 months.