Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cocaine worth about $15 million at airport (with photo)

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 25) detected an incoming passenger drug trafficking case at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 14 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $15 million.
      
     A 42-year-old female passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found 38 boxes of agar-agar powders in her two checked-in carton boxes. Each box of agar-agar powders contained suspected cocaine, weighing about 14kg in total. The woman was subsequently arrested.
      
     The arrested woman has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (June 27).
      
     Following the resumption of normal travel and exchanges with the Mainland and other parts of the world, the number of visitors to Hong Kong has also been increasing steadily. 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).