Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cocaine worth about $6.4 million at airport (with photo)

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 8) detected a passenger drug trafficking case at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 7 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $6.4 million. One man was arrested.

     A 74-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Panama City, Panama via Paris, France and Frankfurt, Germany, yesterday. During Customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected cocaine concealed in six pieces of bed sheets and in the interlinings of the front and back covers of four books inside his check-in baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.

     An investigation is ongoing.

     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/).