Hong Kong Customs Seizes 11 kg of Suspected Ketamine Worth About $4.3 Million in Drug Trafficking Case

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected ketamine worth about $4.3 million at airport

Hong Kong Customs on May 7 detected a drug trafficking case involving an incoming air parcel at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and seized about 11 kilograms of suspected ketamine, with an estimated market value of about $4.3 million.

Customs on May 7 inspected an air parcel, declared as a chessboard and arriving in Hong Kong from France, at HKIA. Upon inspection, Customs officers found the batch of suspected ketamine in the parcel. After follow-up investigations, Customs officers conducted a controlled delivery operation today (May 13) and arrested a 19-year-old man in Wong Tai Sin.

The arrested man 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 (May 14).

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, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods.

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 on May 7 detected a drug trafficking case involving an incoming air parcel at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 11 kilograms of suspected ketamine, with an estimated market value of about $4.3 million. Photo shows the arrested person (centre) in the case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs on May 7 detected a drug trafficking case involving an incoming air parcel at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 11 kilograms of suspected ketamine, with an estimated market value of about $4.3 million. Photo shows the suspected ketamine seized in the case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Property owner fined nearly $80,000 for not complying with removal order

An owner was convicted and fined $78,650 in total, of which $28,650 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, at the Fanling Magistrates' Courts on Tuesday (May 12) for failing to comply with a removal order issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123).

The case involved four structures with a total area of about 82 square metres at the garden and roof of a detached house on Kwu Tung Road, Sheung Shui. As the unauthorised building works (UBWs) were carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), a removal order was served on the owner under section 24(1) of the BO. Failing to comply with the removal order, the owner was prosecuted by the BD.

A spokesman for the BD said today (May 14), "UBWs may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement action against owners who fail to comply with removal orders, including instigation of prosecution, to ensure building and public safety."

Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year's imprisonment, and a further fine of up to $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.

Source: AI-found images