​Hong Kong Customs detected a dangerous drugs internal concealment case involving two incoming passengers at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 2.2 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $2 million on June 6.
A 34-year-old male passenger and 38-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, on June 6. During Customs clearance, Customs officers found them to be suspicious, and suspected that they had dangerous drugs concealed inside their body cavities. They were then escorted to hospital for examination.
While waiting for examination in the hospital, the man discharged pellets of suspected cocaine in the washroom. He was arrested immediately. Upon examination, the woman was confirmed by a doctor not to have foreign objects concealed inside her body cavity. Suspecting that she was in connection with the case, she was arrested accordingly. As at 3pm today (June 8), the arrested man has excreted 201 pellets of suspected cocaine weighing about 2.2kg in total.
Upon investigation, the arrested persons have been jointly charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts on June 10.
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/Saturday, June 8, 2024
