Hong Kong Customs Seize About 28kg of Suspected Ketamine, 4kg Suspected MDMA at Airport; Two British Women Arrested

Hong Kong Customs detects drug trafficking case involving incoming passengers at airport

Hong Kong Customs detected a drug trafficking case involving two incoming passengers at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (July 12) and seized about 28 kilograms of suspected ketamine, about 4kg of suspected MDMA, and two items of suspected alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $11.8 million.

Two British female passengers, aged 22 and 23, arrived in Hong Kong from London, the United Kingdom, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 11kg of suspected ketamine camouflaged as clothing and about 4kg of suspected MDMA inside the check-in suitcase of the 22-year-old passenger, and about 17kg of suspected ketamine camouflaged as clothing and two items of alternative smoking products inside the check-in suitcase and handbag of the 23-year-old passenger respectively. The two persons were subsequently arrested.

An investigation is 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 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, importing an alternative smoking product is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years upon conviction.

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 two incoming passengers at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (July 12) and seized about 28 kilograms of suspected ketamine, about 4kg of suspected MDMA, and two items of suspected alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $11.8 million. Photo shows the suspected ketamine and suspected alternative smoking products seized from the 23-year-old passenger. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs detected a drug trafficking case involving two incoming passengers at Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (July 12) and seized about 28 kilograms of suspected ketamine, about 4kg of suspected MDMA, and two items of suspected alternative smoking products, with an estimated market value of about $11.8 million. Photo shows the suspected ketamine and suspected MDMA seized from the 22-year-old passenger. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Princess Margaret Hospital responds to the detection of Legionella in water samples

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

The spokesman for Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) made the following reply today (July 13) regarding The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health announced the detection of Legionella in water samples taken from PMH:

In response to a 39-year-old male patient who had stayed in the high dependency unit of the Neurosurgery Department and the Intensive Care Unit of PMH was confirmed to have Legionnaires' Disease (Serogroup 1), CHP visited PMH in late June for collecting water and environmental samples for testing. The preliminary test result showed there are four out of 25 water samples collected from Neurosurgery high dependency unit and Intensive Care Unit are tested positive for Legionella (Serogroup 1). 15 other environmental samples are tested negative for Legionella (Serogroup 1).

The hospital is very concerned about the issue and co-operating with CHP to investigate the source of infection. The hospital has implemented a series of measures to protect the health of patients and staff, including the arrangement of thorough cleaning and disinfection of relevant water supply system in the wards concerned from late June to now. CHP has conducted environmental sampling afterwards.

The hospital has conducted contact tracing investigation in accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines. No concerned patient has been reported of Legionnaires' disease so far. The hospital has already followed the CHP's advice and implemented a series of follow-up measures, including:

1. installing bacterial filters for related water faucets in high risk wards of the same building; and
2. providing extra boiled or bottled distilled water and body wipes to related wards for patients requiring hygienic or oral care on their own.

The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office according to established guidelines. The hospital will also cooperate with the CHP to investigate the case. In addition to the above precautionary and improvement measures, the hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation of patients in the hospital.

Source: AI-found images