Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cocaine worth about $3.4 million at airport
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (March 8) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 4 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $3.4 million.
A 67-year-old non-local male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday. During customs clearance, the batch of suspected cocaine was found inside his baggage. The male was subsequently arrested.
An investigation is ongoing.
Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.
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 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/en).
Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cocaine worth about $3.4 million at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Restoration of Pui O wetland ecology through effective interdepartmental collaboration
Regarding an oil pollution incident found in the Pui O wetland in September 2025, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said today (March 9) that through interdepartmental collaboration, immediate clearance actions, and smart monitoring, the environment of the Pui O wetland has already shown significant improvement earlier on. The wetland is now in good condition and the ecological environment is fully recovering.
During September last year, members of the public reported oil pollution at Pui O wetland. The EPD accorded high priority to the incident and immediately deployed staff to the site for an inspection. A small amount of an oil spill of approximately 0.02 hectares was spotted on-site. In addition to using oil absorbent pads to contain the problem immediately, EPD staff conducted follow-up investigations for more than a month and invited other government departments, including the Water Supplies Department, to assist in the clearance. The main component of the oil pollution was Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons, which are commonly found in industrial or automotive diesel. The residual amount of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons left in the natural environment after clearance will gradually decompose through microbial degradation and natural volatilisation, without causing long-term impact on the ecological environment.
Regarding the ecological environment of the site, the EPD invited the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department to conduct a joint investigation. The investigation showed that the site habitat began to gradually recover from late September 2025. Inspections by the EPD on February 5 and today (March 9) revealed that the wetland is in good condition, and the ecological environment is fully recovering (see attached photos).
In respect of this oil pollution incident, EPD staff visited the complaint site and surrounding areas such as construction sites, a car parking area and a refuse collection point, but no oil spill or pollution sources were found at the sites or in the vicinity, suggesting that this incident was an isolated event. To prevent similar incidents, the EPD has recommended the upstream premises and construction sites to remove potential pollution sources, and has installed a closed-circuit television system nearby, along with regular patrols to monitor the situation.
An EPD spokesperson stated, "The comprehensive handling of this incident fully demonstrates the efficiency of interdepartmental collaboration within the Government. The EPD will continue to combine smart monitoring with interdepartmental collaboration, striving to protect Hong Kong's natural environment and jointly safeguard the precious wetland ecosystem."
Restoration of Pui O wetland ecology through effective interdepartmental collaboration Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Restoration of Pui O wetland ecology through effective interdepartmental collaboration Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Restoration of Pui O wetland ecology through effective interdepartmental collaboration Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Restoration of Pui O wetland ecology through effective interdepartmental collaboration Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
