ýÿIn the light of local demands for drugs during the long holidays, Hong Kong Customs mounted a special operation codenamed "Wave" from October 23 to December 31 last year to fight against drug trafficking activities involving cross-boundary express parcels. Seizures of different kinds of dangerous drugs worth about $39 million were made.

     During the 70-day operation, Customs officers detected a total of 15 dangerous drug trafficking cases using express parcels conveyed by incoming goods vehicles at the Lok Ma Chau Control Point. About 60 kilograms of suspected dangerous drugs including cocaine, methamphetamine, ketamine and ecstasy with an estimated market value of about $39 million were seized.  

     After follow-up investigations of the abovementioned cases, Customs officers arrested five men and two women in town, aged between 16 and 46, and further seized about 480 grams of suspected dangerous drugs.

     To evade Customs officers' attention, criminals often adopt ever-changing concealment methods. The methods revealed in this special operation included the use of oil filters, sports shoes, puzzle play mats, trousers, powdered formula, drink powder, meat products, canned fruit, health supplements and packages of dog food as cover-ups.

     Hong Kong Customs has all along striven to eliminate dangerous drug inflows through passenger or cargo channels by strategies of risk-profiling and intelligence analysis. The "Wave" anti-narcotics operation achieved significant results in intercepting dangerous drugs. The department will continue its special enforcement operations from time to time to strengthen efforts against different kinds of dangerous 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 (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

Ends/Thursday, January 2, 2020
Issued at HKT 15:45

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