Hong Kong Customs seized about 30 kilograms of suspected cocaine in total with an estimated market value of about $32.5 million during an operation conducted on March 2 and yesterday (March 3).
Customs officers intercepted two women at an industrial building in Chai Wan on March 2 and subsequently seized inside a flat of the industrial building about 600 grams of suspected cocaine and a batch of drug packing paraphernalia. Customs officers also found two parcels there arrived from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil via the Mainland. After in-depth examination, suspected cocaine weighing about 28 kilograms in total were found inside two noodle-making machines inside the parcels.
Follow-up investigations by Customs officers led to the arrest of another woman with seizure of a small amount of suspected dangerous drugs and drug inhalation apparatus in an apartment in Ma On Shan. Later on, about 1.4 kilograms of suspected cocaine, a small quantity of suspected cannabis as well as about US$100,000 and about HK$1,500,000 in cash were further seized inside a house in Sai Kung.
It is believed that a transnational drug trafficking syndicate has been smashed.
The three arrested women, aged between 28 and 31, have been charged with trafficking in a dangerous drug. They will appear at Eastern Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (March 5).
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.
Ends/Sunday, March 4, 2018
