Hong Kong Customs detects dangerous drugs internal concealment case involving passenger at airport (with photo)

     Hong Kong Customs detected a dangerous drugs case involving internal concealment at Hong Kong International Airport on September 22 and seized about 1 kilogram of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $720,000.

     A 33-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Sao Paulo, Brazil, via Paris, France, and Zurich, Switzerland, on that day. During Customs clearance, Customs officers found her to be suspicious and suspected that the passenger had dangerous drugs concealed inside her body cavity. She was then escorted to the hospital for examination.

     Upon examination, the woman was confirmed by a doctor to have foreign objects concealed inside her body cavity and was arrested subsequently. As at 4.30pm today (September 24), the arrested person has discharged 96 pellets of suspected cocaine weighing about 1kg in total.

     A holding charge with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug has been laid against the arrested woman. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (September 25).

     Following the increasing number of visitors to Hong Kong, 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.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).