Hong Kong Customs seized about 25 kilograms of suspected cocaine at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) on June 19 and about 270 grams of suspected ketamine in Tsuen Wan yesterday (June 20) with an estimated market value of about $29 million and $150,000 respectively. This has broken the record of this year's largest inbound dangerous drugs case detected by Customs at the airport on June 3 in terms of seizure amount and value.
Customs officers inspected an air consignment arriving in Hong Kong from the Netherlands at HKIA on June 19. The batch of suspected cocaine was found concealed inside ten buckets of fish food.
After follow-up investigation, Customs officers yesterday arrested a 17-year old man suspected to be in connection with the case at an industrial building in Tsuen Wan, where the batch of suspected ketamine as well as a batch of drug manufacturing and packaging paraphernalia were further seized.
The arrested man has been charged with two counts of trafficking in a dangerous drug. He will appear at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (June 22).
Customs will continue to step up enforcement actions against drug trafficking activities through air cargo, postal parcel and express courier channels, as well as maintain close contact with Hongkong Post and the logistics industries, with a view to intercepting the inflow of drugs to Hong Kong.
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).
Ends/Sunday, June 21, 2020
