In a joint operation with UK Customs, Hong Kong Customs Drug Investigation Bureau apprehended a Sierra Leone passenger in transit at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (December 22).
The 33-year-old man, declared to be a businessman, was found to have internal concealment of 1.5 kg of heroin (74 pellets) valued at $550,000. He had arrived in Hong Kong from Pakistan via Dubai in transit to Guangzhou.
Through intelligence exchange with UK Customs, Hong Kong Customs officers from Airport Investigation Division intercepted the Sierra Leone man yesterday (December 22).
Suspected of having internal concealment of drugs, the man was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for observation. He is still being detained for investigation and will be charged with "trafficking in a dangerous drug".
This is the second transnational drug trafficking case detected by Hong Kong Customs this month as a result of cooperation with international law enforcement agencies. The previous case was the seizure of $11 million worth of MDMA tablets on December 8.
As transnational drug trafficking activities have become more sophisticated, Hong Kong Customs will continue to further cooperation and intelligence exchange with other international law enforcement agencies in the fight against drug trafficking activities.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, drug trafficking is a serious offence with maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of $5 million.
Ends/Thursday, December 23, 2004