Airport drug busts net cannabis buds and illicit cigarettes
SingTao · 3 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong Customs said it detected two separate drug trafficking cases involving inbound travellers at Hong Kong International Airport, with a combined seizure of about 8.8 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds and 220 duty-not-paid cigarettes worth an estimated HK$1.83 million. The two arrested suspects are a 43-year-old mainland Chinese woman and a 41-year-old mainland Chinese man. The woman was allegedly found carrying about 3.3 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds and the cigarettes in her carry-on baggage, while the man was allegedly found with about 5.5 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds in his carry-on baggage after arriving from Bangkok, Thailand. Both have been charged and are scheduled to appear at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on October 17.
Key Points
- Customs officers intercepted the 43-year-old mainland Chinese woman during an anti-narcotics operation at the airport on October 16.
- Officers found about 3.3 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds and 220 duty-not-paid cigarettes inside the woman’s carry-on baggage.
- The 41-year-old mainland Chinese man had arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok on October 15 before customs inspection led to his arrest.
- About 5.5 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds were discovered in the man’s carry-on baggage during clearance procedures.
- The woman faces one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and one count of possessing dutiable goods, while the man faces one trafficking charge.
Why It Matters
The cases show customs officers are continuing to focus on inbound passengers and hand-carried luggage in efforts to disrupt cross-border drug trafficking through Hong Kong’s airport. For Hong Kong travellers, the prosecutions also underline that carrying unidentified items for others can expose passengers to severe criminal liability, with trafficking in dangerous drugs carrying a maximum penalty of a HK$5 million fine and life imprisonment, while illicit cigarette offences can carry up to a HK$2 million fine and seven years’ jail