Hong Kong Customs yesterday (November 6) and today (November 7) detected two drug trafficking cases involving incoming passengers at Hong Kong International Airport, and seized a total of about 4.5 kilograms of suspected liquid cocaine and 15.4 kilograms of suspected ketamine, with a total estimated market value of about $9 million. A man and a woman were arrested.
In the first case, a Spanish male passenger, aged 36, arrived in Hong Kong from Madrid, Spain, via Seoul, South Korea, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected liquid cocaine, concealed in three wine bottles, inside his check-in baggage. He was subsequently arrested.
In the second case, a British female passenger, aged 44, arrived in Hong Kong from Frankfurt, Germany, today. During Customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected ketamine inside her check-in baggage. She was subsequently arrested.
The arrested man in the first case has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on November 9. The investigation of the second case is ongoing.
Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.
Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
