Hong Kong Customs Seizes 3.4 kg Suspected Cocaine and 16 kg Suspected Cannabis Buds, Arrests Two Women at Airport

Hong Kong Customs detects two drug trafficking cases involving passengers at airport

Hong Kong Customs detected two drug trafficking cases involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (June 5) and today (June 6), and seized a total of about 3.4 kilograms of suspected cocaine and 16 kg of suspected cannabis buds, with a total estimated market value of about $5.6 million. Two women were arrested.

In the first case, a 23-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Sao Paulo, Brazil, via Istanbul, Turkey, yesterday afternoon. During customs clearance, Customs officer found about 3.4 kg of suspected cocaine concealed inside two statues in her check-in suitcase. Thirty-four duty-not-paid cigarettes and one piece of alternative smoking were also found inside her carry-on baggage. The woman was then arrested.

In the second case, a 22-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, today. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 16kg of suspected cannabis buds inside her check-in baggage. She was subsequently arrested.

Investigations of the two cases are 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 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.

Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Under the Import and Export Ordinance, importing an alternative smoking product is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

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 two drug trafficking cases involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (June 5) and today (June 6), and seized about 3.4 kilograms of suspected cocaine and 16kg of suspected cannabis buds, with a total estimated market value of about $ 5.6 million. Photo shows the suspected cannabis buds seized in the second case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detected two drug trafficking cases involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (June 5) and today (June 6), and seized about 3.4 kilograms of suspected cocaine and 16kg of suspected cannabis buds, with a total estimated market value of about $ 5.6 million. Photo shows the suspected cocaine concealed in one of the statues in the first case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detected two drug trafficking cases involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (June 5) and today (June 6), and seized about 3.4 kilograms of suspected cocaine and 16kg of suspected cannabis buds, with a total estimated market value of about $ 5.6 million. Photo shows one of the statues found with suspected cocaine in the first case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Police National Security Department arrests two men and three women

The National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force (NSD) received a referral from the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department, that a batch of books with seditious intention was intercepted inside a consignment shipped to Hong Kong from overseas.

Following investigations, the NSD conducted an operation today (July 15). Officers searched two shops in Mong Kok and arrested two men aged 37 and 57 respectively, and three women aged between 30 and 59. They were suspected of contravening the offence of “doing an act that has a seditious intention with a seditious intention” under Section 24 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.

Police investigations revealed that the five arrestees are suspected of displaying items with seditious intent and selling publications with seditious content inside the shops. The contents of these publications involved inciting hatred against the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the judiciary, and law enforcement agencies. A batch of books with seditious intention was seized from the shops.

The five arrested persons are being detained for investigation.

Police remind members of the public that “doing an act that has a seditious intention with a seditious intention” is a serious offence. Upon first conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for seven years. Members of the public are urged not to defy the law.

Source: AI-found images