Hong Kong Customs seized about 1.8 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $500,000 at Hong Kong International Airport on March 9.
Customs officers inspected a parcel from the United States on March 9 and found the batch of suspected cannabis buds concealed inside two plastic bottles.
After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers arrested a 15-year-old man and 16-year-old man suspected to be connected with the case in Kwai Chung and Tsuen Wan on March 12 and today (March 15) respectively.
The 15-year-old man has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. He will appear at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on March 21.
Investigation is ongoing.
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.
Customs also reiterated that cannabis and tetrahydro-cannabinol (THC) are classified as dangerous drugs under the Ordinance. The importation of products (including food and drinks) containing cannabis or THC into Hong Kong is prohibited unless the relevant provisions in the Ordinance are complied with. In order to avoid breaching the law inadvertently, special attention should be paid to the packaging labels of food and drinks.
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/Friday, March 15, 2019
