Hong Kong Customs yesterday (October 21) detected the first drug trafficking case making use of car bonnets and seized about 17.6 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine with an estimated market value of about $10 million at Hong Kong International Airport.
Customs officers yesterday inspected at the Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals two batches of air transshipment cargo arriving from Thailand en route to Australia via Hong Kong, which were declared as containing car bonnets. Through risk assessment and an initial check with advanced examination equipment, it was suspected that contraband was concealed in the batch of goods containing four car bonnets. The car bonnets were therefore disassembled for further examination.
Customs officers then found the batch of suspected methamphetamine packed in 219 packages and taped inside false compartments between the top and bottom layers of the bonnets.
This is the first time Customs has discovered drug traffickers using car bonnets as a disguise and adopting a circuitous route in an attempt to evade law enforcement agencies' inspections.
Investigation is ongoing.
The modi operandi adopted by drug trafficking syndicates are multifarious. Customs will continue to make use of risk assessment, intelligence analysis and international co-operation to combat 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 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
Ends/Thursday, October 22, 2020
