Hong Kong Customs on December 22 detected a dangerous drugs internal concealment case involving two incoming passengers at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 1.5 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $1.3 million.
Two female passengers, aged 46 and 42, arrived in Hong Kong from Entebbe, Uganda, via Doha, Qatar, on that day. During Customs clearance, Customs officers suspected that the passengers had dangerous drugs concealed inside their body cavities. They were then escorted to the hospital for examination. Upon examination, doctors confirmed that foreign objects were concealed inside their body cavities and they were arrested immediately. As at 2pm today (December 24), the arrested persons have discharged a total of 115 pellets of suspected cocaine weighing about 1.5kg in total.
The arrested persons have each been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on December 26.
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 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
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