​Hong Kong Customs detected two drug trafficking cases involving baggage concealment yesterday (October 5) at Hong Kong International Airport. About 2.1 kilograms of suspected heroin and about 2.1kg of suspected ecstasy, with a total estimated market value of about $2.1 million, were seized.
The first case involved three male passengers and a female passenger, aged between 20 and 21, who arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday. During customs clearance, a total of about 2.1kg of suspected heroin were found in 15 boxes of mooncakes inside the carry-on baggage of three of them. The four passengers were subsequently arrested.
The second case involved a 49-year-old male passenger who also arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday. During customs clearance, about 2.1kg of suspected ecstasy were found concealed inside five packs of snacks in his check-in baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.
Investigations of both cases are 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/Friday, October 6, 2023
