Hong Kong Customs Seizes About 29kg of Suspected Ketamine, 2.85kg of Suspected Cocaine at Airport; Three Arrested in Drug Trafficking Cases

Hong Kong Customs detects three incoming passenger drug trafficking cases at airport

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 20) and today (June 21) detected three drug trafficking cases involving passengers at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 29 kilograms of suspected ketamine and 2.85kg of suspected cocaine, with a total estimated market value of about 13 million. Three persons were arrested.

The first case involved a 30-year-old Brazilian male passenger arriving in Hong Kong from Sao Paulo, Brazil, via Doha, Qatar, yesterday. During Customs clearance, about 2.85kg of suspected cocaine were found in his check-in baggage. The male was subsequently arrested.

The subsequent two cases involved a 23-year-old Malaysian male passenger and a 27-year-old Chinese female passenger respectively. They arrived in Hong Kong from Rome, Italy, today. During customs clearance, Customs officers separately seized from their checked-in suitcases a batch of suspected ketamine weighing about 25kg with an estimated market value of approximately $9.5 million, and another batch weighing about 4kg with an estimated market value of approximately $1.6 million. The two persons were subsequently arrested.

The arrested person in the first case has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and the case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (June 22), while investigations of the remaining 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 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.

Customs will also 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 yesterday (June 20) and today (June 21) detected three passenger drug trafficking cases involving passengers at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 29 kilograms of suspected ketamine and 2.85kg kilograms of suspected cocaine with a total estimated market value of about $13 million. Three persons were arrested. Photo shows the arrested person (centre) involved in the first case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 20) and today (June 21) detected three drug trafficking cases involving passengers at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 29 kilograms of suspected ketamine and 2.85kg of suspected cocaine with a total estimated market value of about $13 million. Photo shows the suspected ketamine seized in the second case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 20) and today (June 21) detected three drug trafficking cases involving passengers at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 29 kilograms of suspected ketamine and 2.85kg of suspected cocaine with a total estimated market value of about $13 million. Photo shows the suspected ketamine seized in the third case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 20) and today (June 21) detected three drug trafficking cases involving passengers at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 29 kilograms of suspected ketamine and 2.85kg of suspected cocaine with a total estimated market value of about $13 million. Photo shows the suspected cocaine concealed in the compartment of the check-in baggage in the first case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products

An incoming male passenger was sentenced to ten months' imprisonment and fined $2,000 at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (August 21) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes, failing to declare them to Customs officers, as well as importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) and the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO).

Customs officers intercepted a 60-year-old incoming Mainland male passenger at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (August 20) and seized 30 500 duty-not-paid cigarettes and 25 000 alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $212,000 and a duty potential of about $101,000 from his personal baggage. The passenger was subsequently arrested.

Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who deals with, possesses, sells or buys duty-not-paid cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Under the IEO, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong 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 illicit cigarette 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).

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases