Hong Kong Customs on August 8 detected a dangerous drugs internal concealment case involving one incoming passenger at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and seized about 770 grams of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $850,000.
The male passenger, aged 27, arrived in Hong Kong from Brazil via Dubai and Bangkok on August 8. During Customs clearance at HKIA, Customs officers found him to be suspicious, and suspected that he had dangerous drugs concealed inside his body cavity. He was then escorted to the hospital for examination.
Upon examination, the man was confirmed by a doctor to have foreign objects concealed inside his body cavity. He was arrested immediately. As at 11am today (August 10), the arrested man has excreted 77 pellets of suspected cocaine weighing about 770g in total.
An investigation is ongoing.
Following the resumption of normal travel and exchanges with the Mainland and other parts of the world, the number of visitors to Hong Kong has also been increasing steadily. Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
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) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Ends/Thursday, August 10, 2023
