57-Year-Old Japanese Man Arrested for Trafficking About 22kg of Suspected Cannabis Buds at Airport

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cannabis buds at airport

Hong Kong Customs detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport on July 3 and seized about 22 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $4 million.

A 57-year-old Japanese male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, that day. During customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cannabis buds inside his check-in baggage and 98 alternative smoking products in his trousers pocket. The man was subsequently arrested.

The arrested man has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and one count of importing alternative smoking products. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (July 6).

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 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 Import and Export Ordinance, 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 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 drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport on July 3 and seized about 22 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $4 million. Photo shows the arrested person in the case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport on July 3 and seized about 22 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $4 million. Photo shows the suspected cannabis buds seized in the case. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

HKICL alerts public of fraudulent website

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

The Hong Kong Interbank Clearing Limited (HKICL) has recently noted two fraudulent websites at hxxps[:]//hkiclv[.]bw2026[.]top and hxxps[:]//fpspayme[.]com purported to be from the HKICL. The fraudulent websites imitate as "Buyer Online Protection" to provide services including 1) refund to buyer, 2) unauthorised online transaction reporting, and 3) online transaction support, for online transaction over FPS payment. They intend to trick user into giving away personal document number and ID photo together with phone number for real name verification in order to get cash reward. In addition, they also trick user into providing bank name, bank account holder's number and bank account holder's name to top up and withdraw money from its platform's virtual wallet via FPS. Further, they direct user to a fraudster impersonating as customer service personnel.

The HKICL advises that such fraudulent websites have no affiliation with the HKICL, or any business of the HKICL. The HKICL will not directly provide FPS service to individual members of the public or contact individual members of the public proactively under usual circumstance. The genuine official website addresses of the HKICL are www.hkicl.com.hk and fps.hkicl.com.hk.

The HKICL urges the public to beware of suspicious calls, websites or other communications, and to remain vigilant in protecting personal information. If members of the public receive any suspicious communication purportedly from the HKICL, please call the HKICL's general line at 2533 1111 to verify. Members of the public who suspect that theyhave become the victim of fraudulent acts should report promptly to the Police.

Source: AI-found images