Hong Kong police discovered $1.3 million worth of methamphetamine in a narcotics warehouse masquerading as a Pokemon TCG store. Despite the wholesome and kid-friendly nature of the Pokemon franchise, it attracts a lot of crime.
Seriously, we have a whole list of Pokemon-related or adjacent felonies . There have been $500,000 heists , armed robberies , and more recently, a store specializing in the selling and playing of the Pokemon TCG being damaged in a shootout . Something about these adorable little monsters seems to bring out the worst in people.
In what might be one of the most serious Pokemon-related crimes we’ve seen, Hong Kong Police uncovered a hidden storage facility in a Pokemon TCG store. Within the facility, they found commercial quantities of methamphetamine. Initially reported by the South China Morning Post , the raid occurred on August 19, 2024, following the investigation of a 28-year-old man who was found in front of the store with 5kg of methamphetamine on his person.
When police raided the store, they found a total of 16kg of the drug in a staff-only area of the shop. The amount secured was estimated to be valued at $10 million HKD which equates to approximately $1.3 million USD.
Despite the store frequently hosting Pokemon TCG tournaments and having a clientele primarily made up of children and teenagers, police confirmed that the drugs were not sold to, or trafficked by customers. Hong Kong Narcotics Bureau Inspector Liong Chun-Hin still found the cri.