British transit passenger charged over HK$7.5m cannabis haul
On.cc · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong Customs said it uncovered a drug trafficking case at Hong Kong International Airport on Thursday involving a transit passenger arriving from Bangkok and preparing to fly onward to London. Officers allegedly found about 32 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds in two suitcases, with an estimated market value of about HK$7.5 million, and arrested a 42-year-old British man.
The man has since been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and is scheduled to appear at Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on Friday.
Key Points
- The suspect is a 42-year-old British male transit passenger who arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, and was due to connect to London, Britain.
- Customs officers intercepted him during clearance procedures at Hong Kong International Airport on Thursday and examined two pieces of checked luggage.
- Officers allegedly discovered 29 packages of suspected cannabis buds inside the two suitcases, with a total weight of about 32 kilograms.
- The suspected cannabis buds seized in the case were estimated by authorities to have a market value of about HK$7.5 million.
- He has been charged with trafficking in a dangerous drug, an offence punishable on conviction by a HK$5 million fine and life imprisonment
Why It Matters
The case is moving quickly from airport interception to court, with the defendant due before Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on Friday after Thursday’s arrest and charge.
For Hong Kong travellers and logistics operators, the case underlines the legal risks tied to carrying illicit drugs through the city even when a passenger is only in transit
For Hong Kong travellers and logistics operators, the case underlines the legal risks tied to carrying illicit drugs through the city even when a passenger is only in transit