Hong Kong Customs yesterday (August 10) cracked two drugs cases, namely neutralization of a transnational drug trafficking syndicate with the seizure of 2.9 kg ketamine; and first time seizure of "magic mushrooms" which weighed 7.5g.
In the first case, Customs officers intercepted a Malaysian man, aged 32, who had arrived from Bangalore, India via Bangkok, Thailand for baggage examination in the Hong Kong International Airport. As a result, six out of the 24 cans of nutrition powder found inside a carton box that he was carrying were found to be stuffed with a total of 2.9 kg ketamine.
In a subsequent controlled delivery operation, an Indian man, aged 35, suspected to be the recipient of the drugs was arrested in Tsim Sha Tsui.
The seized ketamine was worth about $950,000.
The Malaysian man and Indian man will be charged with "trafficking in a dangerous drugs" and appear in Tsuen Wan Magistrates' Courts for mention tomorrow (August 12).
In the second case, while inspecting two parcels posted from Canada and claimed to be containing clothes, Customs officers at the Air Mail Centre in the Hong Kong International Airport on August 8 found about 72 grams of cannabis buds.
Yesterday, Customs officers arrested a 24-year-old local man at a post office in North Point. In follow-up investigations, the officers found from a residential unit a batch of dangerous drugs including cocaine, cannabis, Nimetazepam ("erimin 5"), magic mushrooms as well as a set of smoking paraphernalia.
The seized dangerous drugs in the second case were worth about $50,000.
The 24-year-old man is now on bail pending further investigation.
"Given the vigorous actions taken by law enforcement agencies in Hong Kong and the Mainland, there is a shortage of ketamine supply in both places. Recent intelligence shows that there is a rising trend of ketamine being smuggled into Hong Kong and the Mainland from Southeast Asia," the Head of Customs Drug Investigation Bureau, Mr Ben Leung, said today (August 11).
He stressed that Hong Kong Customs would continue to strengthen co-operation and intelligence exchange with the Mainland and overseas law enforcement agencies with a view to curbing transnational drug trafficking activities.
"Although drug traffickers might take advantage of Hong Kong's convenient location and excellent transport network to smuggle drugs, Hong Kong Customs is confident in preventing Hong Kong from becoming a drugs trafficking transit point," he added.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, drug trafficking is a serious offence. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment and a fine of $5 million.
Ends/Thursday, August 11, 2005