Police on Monday said an anti-drugs operation they carried out last week led to the arrest of eight people and the seizure of cocaine, ketamine and cannabis worth around HK$132 million.

At a press briefing, senior inspector Lee Chun-man said officers believe the suspects, aged between 16 and 60, are linked to four separate gangs which had been operating in different ways.

"These include mailing or storing drugs in abandoned vehicles or containers in rural districts far from urban areas. Or, they would pack and store drugs in private residences or mini storage facilities," Lee said.

"It is suspected that these drugs were obtained through cargo shipments, passenger flights, airmail, and other channels from Europe, South America, and South-East Asia to Hong Kong. We believe that most of the drugs involved in this case had not yet infiltrated the market."