Customs officers yesterday (July 20) seized 586 grams of suspected cannabis resin, worth about $50,000, from an incoming passenger at Hong Kong International Airport.
At about 4.30pm, Customs officers intercepted and searched a 50-year-old Nepalese woman, who had arrived from Kathmandu, Nepal. The officers found 527 grams of suspected cannabis resin concealed inside the soles of her shoes.
As the officers suspected that the woman was concealing more dangerous drugs, they sent her to the hospital for medical checks. Subsequently, the woman discharged seven packets of suspected cannabis resin with a total weight of 59 grams.
The woman will later be charged with trafficking in dangerous drugs and will appear in Tsuen Wan Magistrates' Court tomorrow (July 22).
A spokesman for the Customs and Excise Department said today (July 21), "We believe that the dangerous drugs are intended for distribution in Hong Kong. Customs investigations are continuing."
The spokesman noted that Customs officers had cracked four cases and seized 17.6 kilograms of cannabis resin at the airport so far this year.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, the maximum penalty for drug trafficking offences is life imprisonment and a fine of $5 million.
Ends/Wednesday, July 21, 2004