Mainland man held after cocaine found in snack packs
HK01 · 4 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong Customs said officers at the airport stopped a 33-year-old mainland Chinese man who arrived on 27 October from Sao Paulo, Brazil, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and allegedly found 5.5 kilograms of suspected cocaine in his carry-on luggage. The suspected drugs were concealed inside six chocolate snack packs or boxes, with an estimated market value of about HK$6 million. The man, who reported his occupation as a livestock worker, was arrested and has been charged with trafficking in a dangerous drug. He is scheduled to appear at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on 29 October.
Key Points
- Customs officers intercepted the passenger at Hong Kong International Airport after he flew from Sao Paulo and transited through Addis Ababa before arriving in Hong Kong.
- Investigators said six chocolate snack packages in his luggage were used to hide the 5.5 kilograms of suspected cocaine.
- The haul was estimated to be worth around HK$6 million, and the case was taken over by Customs’ Drug Investigation Bureau.
- The arrested man is 33 years old, from mainland China, and told officers he worked as a livestock worker.
- According to reports, he claimed after arrest that he was helping a friend and had received no payment for carrying the items.
Why It Matters
The case adds to Customs’ concern over airport drug trafficking routes involving long-haul arrivals from Brazil, especially after another mainland Chinese male passenger arriving from Sao Paulo was arrested last Saturday with about 5.4 kilograms of suspected cocaine hidden in the same type of chocolate packaging. For Hong Kong travellers, the warning from Customs is direct: people should not carry goods for others or transport items whose nature they have not verified, because trafficking in dangerous drugs carries a maximum penalty of a HK$5 million fine and life imprisonment upon conviction.