Hong Kong Customs seized about 31 kilograms of suspected liquid cocaine, about 910 grams of suspected ketamine and about 520 grams of suspected methamphetamine with a total estimated market value of about $45.3 million at Hong Kong International Airport and Yau Ma Tei on September 7 and September 10.
This has broken the record of this year's largest inbound dangerous drugs case detected by Customs at the airport on June 19 this year in terms of seizure amount and value.
Customs officers inspected an air cargo consignment arriving in Hong Kong from the United States on September 7 at Hong Kong International Airport and found the batch of suspected liquid cocaine concealed inside 45 red wine bottles.
After follow-up investigation, Customs officers arrested a 40-year old man suspected to be in connection with the case in Yau Ma Tei yesterday, and further seized the batch of suspected ketamine, suspected methamphetamine and one set of suspected drug inhalation apparatus at his residential premises in the district.
Customs officers also detected another airborne inbound dangerous drugs case, in which an air parcel arriving in Hong Kong from Canada was inspected on September 5.
About 1 kg of suspected cocaine was found concealed inside a batch of polystyrene beads, with an estimated market value of about $1.4 million.
After follow-up investigation, Customs officers yesterday arrested a 36-year-old woman in Yau Ma Tei suspected to be connected with the case.
The seizure value of the suspected dangerous drugs seized in the two cases amounted to about $46.7 million in total.
The arrested woman has been charged with one counts of trafficking in a dangerous drug, while the arrested man has been charged with two counts of trafficking in a dangerous drug and one count of possession of apparatus fit and intended for the inhalation of a dangerous drug.
They will appear at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (September 12).
Customs reiterates that it will continue to step-up enforcement actions against drug trafficking activities through air cargo, postal parcel and express courier channels, as well as to maintain close contact with Hongkong Post and the logistics industries, with a view to intercepting the inflow of drugs to Hong Kong.
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. ■