​Hong Kong Customs since January this year has mounted enforcement operations to vigorously combat criminal activities of cannabis trafficking by sea, land, air and in all districts across the territory in Hong Kong, resulting in a total of about 790 kilograms of suspected cannabis seized from January to February. During the operation, Customs also detected a large-scale cannabis buds trafficking case and seized about 570kg of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $115 million. This is the largest-ever cannabis buds case detected by Customs in town.
Acting on intelligence analysis, Customs on February 26 raided a logistics warehouse in the New Territories and seized the batch of suspected cannabis buds weighing about 570kg in total from about 145 carton boxes. After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers on March 8 arrested a 53-year-old man who claimed to be a logistics company owner and is suspected to be connected with the case.
An investigation of the above-mentioned case is ongoing and Customs will continue to trace the source and flow of the drugs. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
Customs reminds members of the public that cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are classified as dangerous drugs under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance. Importation of products (including food or drinks) containing cannabis or THC into Hong Kong is prohibited unless the relevant provisions in the Ordinance are complied with. In order to avoid breaching the law inadvertently, special attention should be paid to the packaging labels of those products.
Under the 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 on its dedicated crime reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).
Ends/Monday, March 11, 2024
