A top Hong Kong anti-narcotics official said on Monday a new high-level drug control conference will help the SAR better fight crimes as the event will also see officers exchanging strategies over education, intelligence sharing and enforcement.

The comments came as the Security Bureau's narcotics division gears up to host its first-ever "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area Anti-drug Summit" on Friday – in collaboration with the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN). The event will also mark the 60th anniversary of the ACAN.

In an interview on an RTHK radio show, Commissioner for Narcotics Kesson Lee said the city has seized a total of 6.5 tonnes of drugs over the past three years in co-operation with mainland authorities.

He hopes the summit will help the SAR strengthen cross-border cooperation with nearby cities and regions in combating drug trafficking and reducing substance abuse among young people.

"We have invited approximately 40 institutions, including government agencies and non-governmental organisations from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, as well as the Narcotics Control Bureau under the Ministry of Public Security," Lee said.

"We've also invited guests from Singapore because Singapore has always had a lot of intelligence exchanges and co-operation with Hong Kong in the fight against drugs.

"And Singapore is a country with a very high level of vigilance against drugs and imposes severe penalties in drug cases, which is similar to our thinking," he added.

Lee said Hong Kong can also refer to measures adopted by the mainland to further enhance drug-control education and promotion.

"We can see that the mainland has actually made a lot of efforts to enhance anti-drug publicity and education," he said.

"[For example,] they have [gotten] many gold medalists from the national team to film a series of promotional videos about drug control.

"So could Hong Kong also draw on their experience and use more athletes to help us with relevant publicity?

"Especially now with the National Games approaching, could we invite more athletes to help us with the promotion?"

His comments came just as the Narcotics Bureau on Sunday announced that some 418 people had been arrested in 303 drug-related cases during the summer holiday, with the youngest aged only 13.

The bureau also noted that there's a significant increase in seizures of etomidate, previously known as "space oil", compared to the same period last year.

Noting etomidate use has also been rising in the Greater Bay Area, and Singapore more recently, Lee stressed that it's also essential to have cross-sector collaboration with medical authorities such as the Hospital Authority as the drug can also be used for medical purposes, posing challenges on regulations and restrictions.

Other key topics to be covered during the event include engagement with youth across the Greater Bay Area.

About 300 drug-control experts are expected to attend the event.