Hong Kong customs seizes HK$11 million in suspected drugs
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong customs officers raided a warehouse in Sheung Shui on Tuesday and seized more than 400,000 suspected controlled pharmaceutical items with an estimated street value exceeding HK$11 million . Two people were arrested at the scene, and investigators said the drugs had been stored and repackaged there for suspected smuggling to multiple destinations .
Key Points
- Inspector Shirley Woo Suet-yi of the Customs and Excise Department said officers had noticed rising demand for controlled pharmaceutical products in recent weeks .
- Customs began the investigation early this month, identified an industrial unit in Sheung Shui, and raided it on Tuesday .
- Officers seized suspected men's sexual health pills, cancer treatment drugs, fertility medicines and HIV management products from the warehouse .
- More than 60 per cent of the haul consisted of erectile dysfunction drugs, and many products were labelled as containing Part 1 poisons .
- A 56-year-old woman who received the goods and a 51-year-old handyman were arrested; both held two-way permits to enter Hong Kong .
Why It Matters
The case points to the risks posed by illicit pharmaceutical trafficking in Hong Kong, especially when products that should be supplied only under medical supervision are repackaged for smuggling . Customs and health officials are also examining whether the warehouse was part of a larger criminal operation and where the South Asia-origin drugs were ultimately meant to go .