Hong Kong Customs seized about 2 kilograms of suspected herbal cannabis and about 400 grams of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $900,000 at Hong Kong International Airport and Yau Tong on July 16 and yesterday (July 20) respectively.
Customs officers inspected an air mail parcel arriving from South Africa on July 16 and found about 2kg of suspected herbal cannabis inside the cavity of a hollow wooden sculpture.
After follow-up investigation, Customs officers arrested two 36-year-old men on July 19 suspected to be in connection with the case in Yau Ma Tei. A batch of about 400g of suspected cocaine, which was concealed between the inter layers of a carton box, was further seized from an air mail parcel arrived from Chile at Yau Tong.
The two arrested men have respectively been charged with one count and two counts of trafficking in a dangerous drug. They will appear at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (July 22).
Customs will maintain close contact with Hong Kong Post and the logistics industries to step up action against drug trafficking through postal parcels or express courier channels.
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 reminds that cannabis and tetrahydro-cannabinol (THC) are classified as dangerous drugs under the Ordinance. 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/Sunday, July 21, 2019
