Hong Kong Customs on November 19 detected a dangerous drugs internal concealment case involving an incoming passenger at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 934 grams of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $1.15 million.
A female passenger, aged 39, arrived in Hong Kong from Paris, France, on that day. During Customs clearance, Customs officers suspected that the passenger had foreign objects concealed inside her body cavity. The woman was arrested immediately and then escorted to the hospital for examination.
Upon examination, a doctor confirmed that foreign objects were concealed inside the passenger's body cavity. As at 1pm today (November 21), the arrested person has discharged 59 pellets of suspected cocaine weighing 934g in total.
A holding charge with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug has been laid against the arrested woman. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (November 22).
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/Tuesday, November 21, 2023
