Hong Kong police said Sunday they arrested a 45-year-old Israeli man suspected of involvement in a major drug trafficking operation after seizing about 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of ketamine, an illegal party drug, worth an estimated NIS 38 million.
The suspect was detained in the Hung Hom area of Kowloon, according to local media reports. Police said he arrived in Hong Kong in mid-October on a tourist visa and was apprehended by the narcotics unit after behaving suspiciously outside an industrial building.
During a search, officers found about 45 grams of a substance believed to be ketamine in his possession. A further search of a nearby storage facility uncovered eight cardboard boxes containing the rest of the drugs.
Investigators said the man had rented a small storage unit in the industrial complex, which they suspect was used to store and distribute the drugs. Police described him as a key figure in the criminal network believed to be behind the smuggling operation.
The suspect remains in custody and is expected to appear before a court in Kowloon City. He faces two counts of trafficking in dangerous drugs, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of up to NIS 2.1 million under Hong Kong law.