​Hong Kong Customs detected a dangerous drugs case involving internal concealment at Hong Kong International Airport on August 11, and seized about 624 grams of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $500,000.
A 32-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Johannesburg, South Africa, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on that day. During Customs clearance, Customs officers found that she had foreign objects concealed inside her body cavity. The woman was arrested immediately and brought to a hospital for examination. Upon examination, a doctor also confirmed there were foreign objects inside the woman's body cavity.
As at 2pm today (August 13), the arrested person had discharged 22 pellets of suspected cocaine weighing about 624g 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 (August 14).
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/Tuesday, August 13, 2024
