Truck driver in court on East Dam explosive charges

^{Police inspect the site of the explosion in June 2020}

On the early morning of 11 June 2020 police heard an explosion at East Dam of High Island Reservoir, Sai Kung. A 24 -year-old truck driver appeared in court on 17 June charged with possession of explosives.

According to the evidence presented in court, police officers observed the breakwater at the East Dam Reservoir in the early morning of 11 June 2021 and saw flashlights and four people loitering. About 20 minutes later, the police heard the sound of an explosion and saw smoke coming from the site where the four people were. By this time the police were lying in ambush nearby. When the four people passed the ambush, one of them said, “It’s so explosive.” Then they were stopped by the police, including the defendant. Police found a metal cylinder, torch, lighter and gloves containing powder in the defendant’s pocket.

After testing, the powder in the metal cylinder was confirmed to be an explosive. Once the cylinder is ignited, an explosion occurs that can cause injuries and property damage within a 10 metre radius causing serious injuries or possibly fatalities. Although the cylinder did not have an igniter, any ignited material can trigger the explosion of the explosive in the cylinder.

The defence stated that the defendant pleaded guilty to show that he was remorseful, and there was no one in the area at the time, and there was no evidence to show whether he was a person who exploded the pipe bomb, nor whether the defendant intended to use the explosives for illegal purposes.

The judge requested further information on the explosives from police experts. Judgement will be made at a later date.