​Hong Kong Customs detected two dangerous drugs internal concealment cases involving two incoming passengers at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 1.4 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $1.4 million today (April 21) and yesterday (April 20).
In the first case, Customs officers yesterday intercepted a 36-year-old male passenger, who arrived in Hong Kong from Montego Bay, Jamaica, via Frankfurt, Germany, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. During customs clearance, Customs officers found him to be suspicious and suspected that the passenger had dangerous drugs concealed inside his body cavity. He was then escorted to the hospital for examination.
Upon examination on the same day, he was confirmed by a doctor to have foreign objects concealed inside his body cavity and was arrested. As at 3pm today, the arrested person has discharged 55 pellets of suspected cocaine weighing about 800 grams in total.
The second case involved a 37-year-old male passenger arriving in Hong Kong from Entebbe, Uganda via Doha, Qatar, yesterday. During customs clearance, 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 doctor today confirmed the man to have foreign objects concealed inside his body cavity. He was arrested immediately. As at 3pm today, the arrested man has discharged 48 pellets of suspected cocaine weighing about 600g in total.
Investigations of the two cases are ongoing.
Following the increasing number of visitors to Hong Kong, 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/Sunday, April 21, 2024
