Hong Kong Customs detects dangerous drugs case and seizes suspected drugs worth about $2.3 million
Hong Kong Customs detected a dangerous drugs case yesterday (April 27), and seized a total of about 3 kilograms of suspected cocaine, with an estimated market value of about $2.3 million. One person suspected to be connected with the case was arrested.
Hong Kong Customs and Mainlanddepartments on narcotics control and anti-smuggling carried out an intelligence exchange, and intercepted two parcels from the Chinese Mainland on April 25, declared as books and clothing, and discovered the batch of suspected cocaine concealed inside the false compartments of a suitcase in one of the parcels. Upon follow-up investigations, Customs officers conducted a controlled delivery operation and arrested a 41-year-old non-local woman in Mong Kok yesterday.
The arrested person has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (April 29).
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 detected a dangerous drugs case yesterday (April 27), and seized a total of about 3 kilograms of suspected cocaine, with an estimated market value of about $2.3 million. One person suspected to be connected with the case was arrested. Photo shows the suspected cocaine seized. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
External merchandise trade statistics for March 2026
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (April 28) the external merchandise trade statistics for March 2026. In March 2026, the values of Hong Kong’s total exports and imports of goods both recorded year-on-year increases, at 35.8% and 41.2% respectively.
In March 2026, the value of total exports of goods increased by 35.8% over a year earlier to $618.4 billion, after a year-on-year increase by 24.7% in February 2026. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 41.2% over a year earlier to $707.5 billion in March 2026, after a year-on-year increase by 29.9% in February 2026. A visible trade deficit of $89.1 billion, equivalent to 12.6% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in March 2026.
For the first quarter of 2026 as a whole, the value of total exports of goods increased by 32.0% over the same period in 2025. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 37.0%. A visible trade deficit of $168.4 billion, equivalent to 9.8% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in the first quarter of 2026.
Comparing the first quarter of 2026 with the preceding quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of total exports of goods increased by 18.4%. Meanwhile, the value of imports of goods increased by 20.0%.
Analysis by country/territory
Comparing March 2026 with March 2025, total exports to Asia as a whole grew by 37.8%. In this region, increases were registered in the values of total exports to most major destinations, in particular Singapore (+125.0%), Malaysia (+62.3%), Thailand (+61.7%), Taiwan (+50.9%) and Chinese Mainland (the Mainland) (+39.5%).
Apart from destinations in Asia, increases were registered in the values of total exports to some major destinations in other regions, in particular the USA (+80.8%) and the Netherlands (+37.1%). Meanwhile, a decrease was recorded in the value of total exports to the United Kingdom (-29.1%).
Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports from most major suppliers, in particular the United Kingdom (+118.5%), Korea (+112.2%), India (+88.1%), Vietnam (+85.7%), the USA (+66.0%) and the Mainland (+48.8%).
Comparing the first quarter of 2026 with the same period in 2025, increases were registered in the values of total exports to most major destinations, in particular Malaysia (+81.1%), Singapore (+71.2%), Taiwan (+56.5%), the USA (+47.5%) and the Mainland (+34.9%).
Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports from most major suppliers, in particular the United Kingdom (+128.2%), India (+112.2%), Korea (+100.8%), Vietnam (+93.4%) and the Mainland (+42.3%).
Analysis by major commodity
Comparing March 2026 with March 2025, increases were registered in the values of total exports of some principal commodity divisions, in particular "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $99.8 billion or +47.9%), "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $40.2 billion or +94.7%) and "non-ferrous metals" (by $10.2 billion or +175.9%).
Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $106.2 billion or +49.5%), "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $45.3 billion or +93.0%) and "non-ferrous metals" (by $30.4 billion or +403.6%).
Comparing the first quarter of 2026 with the same period in 2025, increases were registered in the values of total exports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $220.3 billion or +40.2%), "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $78.3 billion or +63.8%) and "non-ferrous metals" (by $24.8 billion or +169.1%).
Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $231.3 billion or +42.4%), "telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment" (by $103.2 billion or +81.6%) and "non-ferrous metals" (by $62.3 billion or +340.7%).
Commentary
A Government spokesman said that merchandise exports continued to stage a strong performance in March. The value of merchandise exports grew by 35.8% over a year earlier on the back of strong global demand for AI-related electronic products. Exports to most markets and of most major commodities sustained strong growth.
Looking ahead, the heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have led to an upsurge in international energy prices, posing downside risk to the near-term global economic outlook, with potential disruptions to global trade flows and supply chains. Nonetheless, global demand for AI-related electronic products remains robust and should provide staunch support to the performance of Hong Kong’s merchandise exports. The Government will continue to monitor the evolving external environment closely and stay vigilant.
Further information
Table 1 presents the analysis of external merchandise trade statistics for March 2026. Table 2 presents the original monthly trade statistics from January 2023 to March 2026, and Table 3 gives the seasonally adjusted series for the same period.
The values of total exports of goods to 10 main destinations for March 2026 are shown in Table 4, whereas the values of imports of goods from 10 main suppliers are given in Table 5.
Tables 6 and 7 show the values of total exports and imports of 10 principal commodity divisions for March 2026.
All the merchandise trade statistics described here are measured at current prices and no account has been taken of changes in prices between the periods of comparison. A separate analysis of the volume and price movements of external merchandise trade for March 2026 will be released in mid-May 2026.
The March 2026 issue of "Hong Kong External Merchandise Trade" contains detailed analysis on the performance of Hong Kong’s external merchandise trade in March 2026 and will be available in early May 2026. Users can browse and download the report at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1020005&scode=230).
Enquiries on merchandise trade statistics may be directed to the Trade Analysis Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3863 2592).
Source: AI-found images
