Hong Kong Customs yesterday (August 19) detected two drug trafficking cases involving internal concealment and baggage concealment respectively at Hong Kong International Airport. About 1.3 kilograms of suspected cocaine and 16.5 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds were seized with an estimated market value of about $5 million.
      
     The first case involved a 34-year-old female passenger who arrived in Hong Kong yesterday from Freetown, Sierra Leone via Accra, Ghana and Doha, Qatar. During customs clearance, customs officers found suspected cocaine in her possession, which was suspected to have been discharged earlier. The woman was arrested immediately by Customs officers and was then escorted to a hospital for examination. While she was waiting for medical examination, the woman discharged additional suspected cocaine in the washroom. As at 3pm today (August 20), the arrested woman has excreted 88 pellets of suspected cocaine weighing about 1.3 kilograms in total.

     The second case involved a 27-year-old female passenger and a 30-year-old male passenger. They arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday. During customs clearance of their checked-in luggage, a total of 53 packages of suspected cannabis buds concealed in food packaging were found. Both passengers were subsequently arrested.
      
     The arrested woman of the first case will be charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (August 21). For the second case, an investigation is ongoing.
      
      Following the resumption of normal travel and exchanges with the Mainland and other parts of the world, the number of visitors to Hong Kong has also been increasing steadily. 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/Sunday, August 20, 2023
Issued at HKT 18:50

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