Hong Kong Customs yesterday (November 8) and today (November 9) detected two cross-boundary drug trafficking cases through the cargo channel at Hong Kong International Airport and seized a total of about 20 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine with an estimated market value of about $12 million.
Through risk assessment, Customs officers yesterday inspected a batch of air transshipment cargo arriving from Thailand en route to New Zealand via Hong Kong, which was declared as containing 28 water filters. After an initial check with advanced examination equipment, about 9.7kg of suspected methamphetamine were found concealed inside 24 water filters.
Today, Customs officers further inspected a batch of air transshipment cargo arriving from Thailand en route to Australia via Hong Kong, which was also declared as containing water filters. About 10.3kg of suspected methamphetamine were found concealed inside 25 water filters carried by the cargo.
Investigations of both cases are ongoing. As the packing and concealment methods involved in the cases resembled each other to a large extent, Customs will not rule out that the two cargoes are related to the same drug syndicate.
Customs will continue to combat cross-boundary drug trafficking activities through cargo channels at the airport through strategies of risk-profiling and intelligence analysis.
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/Monday, November 9, 2020
