Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected ketamine worth about $8.3 million at airport
Hong Kong Customs today (April 15) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport. About 20.6 kilograms of suspected ketamine with an estimated market value of about $8.3 million was seized.
A 23-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Frankfurt, Germany, today. During customs clearance, the batch of suspected ketamine was found in his check-in suitcase. The man was subsequently arrested.
The arrested person has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Court tomorrow (April 16).
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 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).
Hong Kong Customs today (April 15) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport. About 20.6 kilograms of suspected ketamine with an estimated market value of about $8.3 million was seized. Photo shows the arrested person (centre) in the case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs today (April 15) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport. About 20.6 kilograms of suspected ketamine with an estimated market value of about $8.3 million was seized. Photo shows the suspected ketamine seized. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 promotes collaborative development of smart city construction in two cities
The kick-off ceremony of the Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 (HSODC 2026) jointly organised by the Digital Policy Office (DPO) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Data was held at the InnoEX on April 13. Themed "Co-creating a Data Industry Platform for the Two Cities", this year's competition is based on open data of the governments of the two places and their latest urban development needs. It reflects the search for open data resources that drive social development while exploring collaborative models for open data and industry data, thus promoting the collaborative development of smart city construction between the two cities. This year's competition incorporates more international elements, encouraging Hong Kong and Shanghai teams to explore global application scenarios, thereby promoting the advancement of digital technologies and innovation capabilities in both cities towards the global stage.
Addressing the kick-off ceremony, the Acting Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Daniel Cheung, stated that the HSODC 2026 provides a platform for young people, research teams and enterprises from both places to showcase their creativity within the national strategic framework, driving high-quality development of the digital economy. In recent years, the HKSAR Government has actively improved open data, data sharing and flow by optimising data governance, thereby promoting data applications within the Government and across various industries. The development and use of data elements is a long-distance journey. With Hong Kong and Shanghai joining forces, the two cities will contribute significantly to the high-quality development of the country's digital economy.
The Hong Kong/Shanghai Data Co-operation Pavilion (the Pavilion), staged at the InnoEX, showcased the data application achievements of last year's competing teams in four major areas: Smart Mobility, Smart Living, Smart Environment, and Smart Economy. The Pavilion highlighted how these teams utilised data to solve real-world problems and create social value. Furthermore, a forum titled Hong Kong/Shanghai Data Co-operation was held on April 14 under the theme "Research Data Platforms". During the forum, data experts and research institution practitioners from both Hong Kong and Shanghai shared various case studies, including the integration of industry, academia, and research; the development and application of open datasets for new energy vehicles; the core advantages and industrial practices of data intelligence; and compliant data-sharing agreements for scientific research.
The HSODC 2026 is now open for registration until June 15. This year's competition continues to focus on four key areas: Smart Mobility, Smart Living, Smart Environment, and Smart Economy, encouraging participants to leverage open data resources from both cities to build innovative projects and pioneer frontier application solutions. Participants will be offered professional training to gain an in-depth understanding of the unique characteristics and advantages of urban data resources in both cities. Shortlisted teams will receive technical training from late June to August, with the opportunity to attend the grand finale to be held in Shanghai in August, showcasing their innovative and unique data technology solutions in front of judges. For more details, please visit the website: hkshadata.org.
The DPO organised a series of innovation and technology (I&T) events in April to showcase Hong Kong's vibrant I&T ecosystem. These include the Smart Hong Kong Pavilion at the InnoEX, the World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit, organised by the HKSAR Government and co-organised by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, and the HSODC 2026.
Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 promotes collaborative development of smart city construction in two cities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 promotes collaborative development of smart city construction in two cities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 promotes collaborative development of smart city construction in two cities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong/Shanghai Co-operation Open Data Challenge 2026 promotes collaborative development of smart city construction in two cities Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
