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Customs officers at Hong Kong International Airport have stepped up scrutiny of postal parcels to combat drugs trafficking by way of air parcels in the festive season.
From December 3 to 8, Customs officers seized from postal parcels a total of 95 packets of cannabis buds, weighing 1,597 grams in total. The drugs could fetch $480,000 if sold in the market.
The concerned postal parcels were from Canada.
So far, nobody has claimed the concerned parcels. Investigations are continuing.
This year, Customs officers at Hong Kong International Airport seized a total of 1,800 grams of cannabis buds at the Air Mail Centre, with a retail value of about $540,000.
Group Head (Air Cargo), Mr Ken Wong, said today (December 14) "It is believed that the surge in the number of cases of drugs trafficking by parcels is due to the increase in demand for the upcoming festive season."
He appealed to members of the public not to traffic in dangerous drugs, or they might face prosecution.
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, December 14, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:08
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