3rd November 2026 – (Hong Kong) Police are investigating an alleged drink‑spiking incident involving Japanese performer Mao Hamasaki, known professionally as DJ Mao, after she reportedly fell ill at a private party in Tsim Sha Tsui in the early hours of 1st November. Officers classified the case as administering poison with intent and yesterday arrested a 61‑year‑old man in Central. It is understood the man manages the first nightlife venue where Hamasaki had performed earlier in the evening and had invited her to continue DJing at the Tsim Sha Tsui location; preliminary enquiries suggest he is not believed to be the person who tampered with the drink, and officers are seeking two additional suspects.
Hamasaki had been booked for a Halloween engagement in Wan Chai before moving to a second site in Tsim Sha Tsui, where the incident allegedly occurred prior to her set. She is said to have consumed two drinks with an orange‑juice flavour and noticed sediment in the glass that she mistook for pulp. Around 40 minutes to one hour later she began her performance but soon experienced blurred memory and dry eyes; after taking another sip while toasting guests she became rigid and unresponsive, later regaining consciousness in an ambulance and experiencing convulsions. Hospital toxicology screening reportedly indicated positive results for four substances commonly associated with recreational drug use, including so‑called “happy water”.
In a message posted in Japanese on X on 2nd November, Hamasaki described the episode as her first encounter with illicit drugs, said she would co‑operate fully with police and thanked supporters for their concern. She urged the public to open their own beverages, keep them within sight at all times and discard any unattended drink. Her manager told local media that after completing the Wan Chai set she accepted an invitation from a “big client” to play at a private venue in Tsim Sha Tsui, where party games involved drinking forfeits; he insisted on calling police and taking her to hospital to ensure her safety and to preserve evidence, adding that tests showed four drugs, including cocaine, ecstasy and nimetazepam, alongside “happy water”.
Under Section 23 of Hong Kong’s Offences Against the Person Ordinance, unlawfully and maliciously administering poison or other noxious substances with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy is an indictable offence punishable by up to three years’ imprisonment. Reporters who visited the implicated nightlife venue in the small hours of 2nd November found it closed; staff present declined to be interviewed as the investigation continued.