Hong Kong Customs Seizes About 42kg of Suspected Ketamine, Arrests Two Men at Airport

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

Hong Kong Customs on June 17 and yesterday (June 18) detected two drug trafficking cases involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport, and seized a total of about 42 kilograms of suspected ketamine with a total estimated market value of about $16 million. Two men were arrested.

In the first case, a 50-year-old Japanese male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on June 17. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 16kg of suspected ketamine inside his check-in suitcase and 137 sticks of duty-not-paid cigarettes inside his carry-on baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.

In the second case, a 50-year-old British male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from London, the United Kingdom, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 26kg of suspected ketamine inside his two check-in suitcases. He was subsequently arrested.

The arrested man in the first case has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug, one count of possession of dutiable goods and one count of failing to declare to a member of the Customs and Excise Service. The arrested man in the second case has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. Both cases will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (June 20).

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 (DCO), 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.

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 June 17 and yesterday (June 18) detected two drug trafficking cases involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport, and seized a total of about 42 kilograms of suspected ketamine with a total estimated market value of about $16 million. Two men were arrested. Photo shows the arrested person in the second case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs on June 17 and yesterday (June 18) detected two drug trafficking cases involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport, and seized a total of about 42 kilograms of suspected ketamine with a total estimated market value of about $16 million. Two men were arrested. Photo shows the suspected ketamine seized in the second case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs on June 17 and yesterday (June 18) detected two drug trafficking cases involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport, and seized a total of about 42 kilograms of suspected ketamine with a total estimated market value of about $16 million. Two men were arrested. Photo shows the arrested person in the first case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs on June 17 and yesterday (June 18) detected two drug trafficking cases involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport, and seized a total of about 42 kilograms of suspected ketamine with a total estimated market value of about $16 million. Two men were arrested. Photo shows the suspected ketamine seized in the first case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Employer sanctioned for violating requirements of local recruitment under Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme

The Labour Department (LD) today (August 10) announced the imposition of an administrative sanction on Waso Cafe (PE) Limited. With immediate effect, the LD has terminated the processing of the application previously submitted by the company under the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS). In parallel, the LD will, from today, refuse to process any applications for importing labour under the ESLS submitted by the above company for a period of one year.

"After investigation, the LD established that the above company had breached the requirements under the ESLS during the local recruitment exercise by providing false information to the LD while applying for the importation of waiters/waitresses, junior cooks and dish washers. An administrative sanction is thus imposed," a spokesman for the LD said.

The spokesman stressed, "Employers applying for the importation of workers under the ESLS should strictly comply with the scheme requirements, including according priority to employing suitable local workers. The ESLS stipulates that if an employer violates labour or immigration laws, the requirements of the ESLS, or the Standard Employment Contract, the LD will impose an administrative sanction on the employer. Such sanctions may include terminating the processing of submitted applications of the employer, withdrawing approvals for the importation of workers previously granted, and refusing to process any subsequent applications submitted by the employer."

The Labour Department, Photo source: reference image