A spiked drink, a puff of dust, missing memories, and an empty bank account.&nbsp;

Hong Kong's entertainment district Wanchai has been battered by a coronavirus-driven collapse in tourism and as times get desperate, several men have seen their night out turn into a nightmare.

It took days for Stuart to recall a crucial memory. But after speaking with another victim, it suddenly came flooding back.

A woman trying to spark a conversation outside a bar, and then a man approaching with a determined look in his eye.

"I thought he was going to punch me but he just blew something in my face," he recalled. "I laughed. But that was it. No memories after that."

It was a breakthrough for Stuart who, like the other victims interviewed for this piece, asked to use a pseudonym.

He had been trying to figure out why post-match drinks with his cricket buddies in Wanchai, a popular hangout for white-collar foreign workers, had turned into one big blackout following his encounter outside the bar.

Hours were missing alongside HK$80,000 ($10,300) -- taken in six separate transactions from nearby ATMs.

"It was a joint account with my missus and we have a baby on the way," the 36-year-old Brit, who moved to Hong Kong 18 months ago, told AFP.&nbsp;

"Police said maybe I was just drunk, but why would I empty that account? It wouldn't be worth my life doing that."

Opportunistic crime

WhatsApp groups used by Wanchai bar owners and regulars have lit up in recent months with similar stories.&nbsp;

Most targets have no memory and awake to find accounts emptied by scammers who have drugged their unwitting victims -- largely by tampering with their drinks -- to keep them pliable and obtain their pin numbers.

Victims have dubbed the scam "Devil's Breath" attacks -- technically the nickname for the powerful anti-nausea drug scopolamine but in this case used more as a catch-all descriptor.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/countries-relying-on-chinese-vaccines-reporting-covid-19-surge-report-393242">Also Read |&nbsp;Countries relying on Chinese vaccines reporting COVID-19 surge: Report</a>

Spiked drinks have previously posed a small risk in Hong Kong, a largely safe city, but the pandemic has exacerbated the issue.

"It's become a huge problem," one bar owner, who declined to be named, told AFP, saying multiple regulars had become victims.

"The police are up and down here all night, checking our licenses, making sure we abide by pandemic restrictions. But this seems to be something they just don't, or won't, tackle," he added.

The jump in cases tracks with a general rise in opportunistic crime as Hong Kong experiences its worst recession in decades.

Crime figures from last year showed a 26 per cent increase in robberies, a 237 per cent jump in blackmail and an 89 per cent rise in deception.&nbsp;

The latter two categories include phone and online scams, which have filled local media in recent months. Cybercrime was up 55 per cent last year.&nbsp;

In a series of pandemic-themed reports the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime detailed how the coronavirus has transformed crime trends.

Widespread lockdowns and travel restrictions, for example, have made break-ins and international drug smuggling harder but the pandemic has been a boon for human trafficking, extortion, counterfeiting and cybercrime.

Police and bar owners in Hong Kong say the vast majority of robberies are carried out by teams of sex workers, an already vulnerable group, sometimes with the help of male accomplices.&nbsp;

"We've all struggled during the pandemic and that includes the girls," another Wanchai bar owner said. "That doesn't excuse the crime, but it helps explain why."

'Psychological damage'

Three people interviewed by AFP, including Stuart, reported the robberies but said it was a struggle to get officers to treat them as victims.

"When I reported it, the officer sighed and said he already had some 90 case files on his desk," recalled James, a 41-year-old British school teacher who had HK$64,000 lifted from his account. "I was like 'Well now you have 91 cases mate'."

All three said they struggled to get crucial data from their bank HSBC to give to police. HSBC did not respond to multiple requests for comment.&nbsp;

Police said such crimes had risen during the pandemic and that the force had ramped up operations, including deploying intelligence teams and specialist anti-triad officers.

"I think you can rest assured that we are putting a lot of resources now to fight these kinds of crimes," Acting Assistant District Commander Glenn Ho Siu-tung told AFP.

He conceded there may be room for improvement on how police treat victims.

"I think we will have to spend some time educating frontline officers," Ho said, adding drinkers need to remain vigilant and not leave out any details when reporting crimes.&nbsp;

Victims, meanwhile, say the trauma of what they experienced is worse than the lost money.

"It's the psychological damage it does to you," said Stuart.&nbsp;"You just can't fathom how you could be so compliant".

A spiked drink, a puff of dust, missing memories, and an empty bank account. Hong Kong's entertainment district Wanchai has been battered by a coronavirus-driven collapse in tourism and as times get desperate, several men have seen their night out turn into a nightmare.

A spiked drink, a puff of dust, missing memories, and an empty bank account. Hong Kong's entertainment district Wanchai has been battered by a coronavirus-driven collapse in tourism and as times get desperate, several men have seen their night out turn into a nightmare. It took days for Stuart to recall a crucial memory. But after speaking with another victim, it suddenly came flooding back. A woman trying to spark a conversation outside a bar, and then a man approaching with a determined look in his eye. "I thought he was going to punch me but he just blew something in my face," he recalled. "I laughed. But that was it. No memories after that." It was a breakthrough for Stuart who, like the other victims interviewed for this piece, asked to use a pseudonym. He had been trying to figure out why post-match drinks with his cricket buddies in Wanchai, a popular hangout for white-collar foreign workers, had turned into one big blackout following his encounter outside the bar. Hours were missing alongside HK$80,000 ($10,300) -- taken in six separate transactions from nearby ATMs. "It was a joint account with my missus and we have a baby on the way," the 36-year-old Brit, who moved to Hong Kong 18 months ago, told AFP. "Police said maybe I was just drunk, but why would I empty that account? It wouldn't be worth my life doing that." Opportunistic crime WhatsApp groups used by Wanchai bar owners and regulars have lit up in recent months with similar stories. Most targets have no memory and awake to find accounts emptied by scammers who have drugged their unwitting victims -- largely by tampering with their drinks -- to keep them pliable and obtain their pin numbers. Victims have dubbed the scam "Devil's Breath" attacks -- technically the nickname for the powerful anti-nausea drug scopolamine but in this case used more as a catch-all descriptor. Also Read | Countries relying on Chinese vaccines reporting COVID-19 surge: Report Spiked drinks have previously posed a small risk in Hong Kong, a largely safe city, but the pandemic has exacerbated the issue. "It's become a huge problem," one bar owner, who declined to be named, told AFP, saying multiple regulars had become victims. "The police are up and down here all night, checking our licenses, making sure we abide by pandemic restrictions. But this seems to be something they just don't, or won't, tackle," he added. The jump in cases tracks with a general rise in opportunistic crime as Hong Kong experiences its worst recession in decades. Crime figures from last year showed a 26 per cent increase in robberies, a 237 per cent jump in blackmail and an 89 per cent rise in deception. The latter two categories include phone and online scams, which have filled local media in recent months. Cybercrime was up 55 per cent last year. In a series of pandemic-themed reports the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime detailed how the coronavirus has transformed crime trends. Widespread lockdowns and travel restrictions, for example, have made break-ins and international drug smuggling harder but the pandemic has been a boon for human trafficking, extortion, counterfeiting and cybercrime. Police and bar owners in Hong Kong say the vast majority of robberies are carried out by teams of sex workers, an already vulnerable group, sometimes with the help of male accomplices. "We've all struggled during the pandemic and that includes the girls," another Wanchai bar owner said. "That doesn't excuse the crime, but it helps explain why." 'Psychological damage' Three people interviewed by AFP, including Stuart, reported the robberies but said it was a struggle to get officers to treat them as victims. "When I reported it, the officer sighed and said he already had some 90 case files on his desk," recalled James, a 41-year-old British school teacher who had HK$64,000 lifted from his account. "I was like 'Well now you have 91 cases mate'." All three said they struggled to get crucial data from their bank HSBC to give to police. HSBC did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Police said such crimes had risen during the pandemic and that the force had ramped up operations, including deploying intelligence teams and specialist anti-triad officers. "I think you can rest assured that we are putting a lot of resources now to fight these kinds of crimes," Acting Assistant District Commander Glenn Ho Siu-tung told AFP. He conceded there may be room for improvement on how police treat victims. "I think we will have to spend some time educating frontline officers," Ho said, adding drinkers need to remain vigilant and not leave out any details when reporting crimes. Victims, meanwhile, say the trauma of what they experienced is worse than the lost money. "It's the psychological damage it does to you," said Stuart. "You just can't fathom how you could be so compliant".

COVID-19: Pandemic sparks surge in Hong Kong 'devil's breath' cash druggings

Bill Cosby, used to the high life as one of America's biggest stars, will likely see his entourage of aides replaced by an inmate paid pennies to help the legally blind comedian navigate life behind bars after he is sentenced for sexual assault.

Cosby, 80, faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced in the next three months for drugging and raping Andrea Constand, 45, in 2004 at his sprawling compound outside Philadelphia. He is appealing the verdict, which could potentially delay his imprisonment for months or even years.

Should he eventually leave the world of private jets and luxury hotel suites, the disgraced star of the 1980s television hit "The Cosby Show" will become probably the best-known celebrity to hear the gates of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections shut behind him, according to a department spokeswoman, Susan McNaughton.

She said previous and current high-profile inmates have included legislators, ex-police officers and Jerry Sandusky, a former Pennsylvania State University football coach convicted in 2012 of being a serial child molester.

Another is Mumia Abu-Jamal, a political activist convicted in the 1981 murder of a Philadelphia police officer.

Incarceration will be a stark change for the comedian, whose net worth was estimated in 2016 by Fortune magazine at $400 million, with $100 million invested in real estate, including homes in New York, Massachusetts and Nevada. He also owned a private jet, artwork and dozens of classic cars.

Once Cosby arrives behind bars, he will face an "incarceration reception process" to determine his healthcare and psychological treatment needs, his security level, and to which of 22 male prisons he will be sent.

He will be one of just 83 inmates aged 80 or older, and one of very few who are legally blind, McNaughton said.

Such prisoners are typically assigned a sighted inmate, who is paid just 19 to 42 cents an hour, to assist them and lead them through the facility.

"Certainly Mr. Cosby would be fine," she said. "Of course they (the inmate assistants) are screened, and there is a lot of monitoring and supervision."

Like most inmates, Cosby will likely be allowed to receive and send emails, which are also screened for security purposes. Most inmates use prison-approved tablet computers.

Cosby's prison assistant might also help sort any fan mail that passes a security screening.

"No drugs or contraband or influence of escape," McNaughton said. "If it clears through the mailroom, it's delivered to the inmate."

Cosby, 80, faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced in the next three months for drugging and raping Andrea Constand, 45, in 2004 at his sprawling compound outside Philadelphia

Bill Cosby, used to the high life as one of America's biggest stars, will likely see his entourage of aides replaced by an inmate paid pennies to help the legally blind comedian navigate life behind bars after he is sentenced for sexual assault. Cosby, 80, faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced in the next three months for drugging and raping Andrea Constand, 45, in 2004 at his sprawling compound outside Philadelphia. He is appealing the verdict, which could potentially delay his imprisonment for months or even years. Should he eventually leave the world of private jets and luxury hotel suites, the disgraced star of the 1980s television hit "The Cosby Show" will become probably the best-known celebrity to hear the gates of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections shut behind him, according to a department spokeswoman, Susan McNaughton. She said previous and current high-profile inmates have included legislators, ex-police officers and Jerry Sandusky, a former Pennsylvania State University football coach convicted in 2012 of being a serial child molester. Another is Mumia Abu-Jamal, a political activist convicted in the 1981 murder of a Philadelphia police officer. Incarceration will be a stark change for the comedian, whose net worth was estimated in 2016 by Fortune magazine at $400 million, with $100 million invested in real estate, including homes in New York, Massachusetts and Nevada. He also owned a private jet, artwork and dozens of classic cars. Once Cosby arrives behind bars, he will face an "incarceration reception process" to determine his healthcare and psychological treatment needs, his security level, and to which of 22 male prisons he will be sent. He will be one of just 83 inmates aged 80 or older, and one of very few who are legally blind, McNaughton said. Such prisoners are typically assigned a sighted inmate, who is paid just 19 to 42 cents an hour, to assist them and lead them through the facility. "Certainly Mr. Cosby would be fine," she said. "Of course they (the inmate assistants) are screened, and there is a lot of monitoring and supervision." Like most inmates, Cosby will likely be allowed to receive and send emails, which are also screened for security purposes. Most inmates use prison-approved tablet computers. Cosby's prison assistant might also help sort any fan mail that passes a security screening. "No drugs or contraband or influence of escape," McNaughton said. "If it clears through the mailroom, it's delivered to the inmate."

From luxury to life behind bars: What Bill Cosby faces in prison

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