​Hong Kong Customs seized about 20 kilograms of suspected heroin and about 2.4kg of suspected cocaine in To Kwa Wan and at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) in the past two days (July 21 and 22). The estimated market value was about $18.8 million and about $2.2 million respectively. Four men were arrested.

     During an anti-narcotics operation conducted in To Kwa Wan in the afternoon of July 21, Customs officers intercepted a 65-year-old man and then searched a residential premises nearby. About 20kg of suspected heroin, a batch of suspected drug manufacturing and packaging paraphernalia and a batch of dangerous chemicals were seized inside the premises. Another two men, aged 55 and 66, were subsequently arrested inside the premises.

     Customs believes that a drug manufacturing centre has been smashed successfully. The three arrested men were jointly charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and one count of manufacture of dangerous drugs. They will appear at Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts next Monday (July 25).

     Also, through risk assessment, Customs inspected an air cargo consignment, declared as carrying coffee, arriving in Hong Kong from Malaysia on July 14 at HKIA. Upon inspection, Customs officers found that four out of 40 bags of coffee powder have been concealed with suspected cocaine. The total weight was about 2.4kg.  

     After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers yesterday arrested a 53-year-old man at HKIA who was suspected to be connected with the case.  

     An investigation is ongoing. 

     Customs reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, both drug manufacturing and trafficking are serious offences. The maximum penalties of both offences upon conviction are life imprisonment and a fine of $5 million.

     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).

     Hong Kong Customs has strengthened enforcement against illicit cigarettes in June, in support of the Quit in June campaign launched by the Department of Health, and successfully detected 241 cases. About 22 million suspected illicit cigarettes and 530 000 suspected alternative smoking products (ASPs), with an estimated market value of over $80 million, were seized. The duty potential of the suspected illicit cigarettes was more than $40 million.

     In June, Customs officers cracked down on 77 cases involving suspected ASPs at Hong Kong International Airport, Shenzhen Bay Control Point, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Control Point and container terminals. The cases mainly involved smuggling the relevant products into the territory through cargo and postal package channels. During the operation, Customs also effected 52 cases involving smuggling of suspected illicit cigarettes. The smugglers would mix-load the illicit cigarettes with other goods, including foodstuffs and household products, to evade Customs detection.

     The other 112 cases are storage, distribution and peddling cases. During the operation, Customs smashed two large-scale illicit cigarette storage centres, and 14 vehicles suspected to be used as distributing illicit cigarettes were detained. Seventy-seven men and 11 women, aged between 17 and 83, were arrested. Investigations of the above-mentioned cases are ongoing.

     A Customs spokesman said that while illicit cigarette syndicates normally use industrial building units or metal huts in rural areas to store illicit cigarettes, they also rent luxurious residential units as storage centres to disguise illicit cigarette activities. Syndicates will also handle and distribute illicit cigarettes in car parks or roadsides in remote areas to evade Customs investigation.

     Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multi-pronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to spare no effort in combating illicit cigarette activities.

     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

     Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.

     Under the Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Ordinance 2021, any person who imports, promotes, manufactures, sells or possesses for commercial purposes ASPs, including electronic cigarette products, heated tobacco products, herbal cigarettes and any related devices, parts and accessories, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.

     Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

     Hong Kong Customs seized a total of about four kilograms of suspected cannabis buds and four packets of candies suspected of containing tetrahydro-cannabinol (THC) with an estimated market value of about $820,000 at Hong Kong International Airport on June 2 and a logistic company in Kwai Chung on June 9. One man was arrested in the case.

           

     Customs officers inspected a fish oil-declared air parcel arrived from the United States on June 2. Two kilograms of suspected cannabis buds and four packets of candies suspected of containing THC were found.

     After follow-up investigation, Customs officers inspected a fruit crisps-declared air parcel arrived from the United States on June 9 in a logistic company in Kwai Chung. Two kilograms of suspected cannabis buds were found from a plastic container. 

     Subsequently, a man aged 36 was arrested in Kwai Chung on June 11.

           

     An investigation is ongoing.

     Customs reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.

      

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (Ordinance), cannabis and THC are classified as dangerous drugs. Importation of products (including food or drinks) containing cannabis or THC into Hong Kong is prohibited unless the relevant provisions in the Ordinance are complied with. In order to avoid breaching the law inadvertently, special attention should be paid to the packaging labels of those products.

     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).