Hong Kong customs seize 240kg cannabis, arrest 10
RTHK · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago1 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong customs said it seized about 240 kilograms of cannabis buds with an estimated market value of HK$56 million and arrested 10 people in an anti-trafficking operation. The department said the suspects were linked to attempts to route cannabis from Southeast Asia through Hong Kong to Europe and Africa.
Key Points
- Customs launched Operation "Fire Net" in mid-July to target traffickers using Hong Kong as a transit hub for cannabis shipments
- Senior Investigator Chow Kai-kwong of the Customs Drug Investigation Bureau said syndicates exploited the summer holiday travel surge to move drugs
- The 10 suspects, nine men and one woman aged between 18 and 57, were arrested after customs tracked targeted passengers.
- Acting Senior Inspector Chan Kai-hin of the Airport Command said most arrested travellers flew from Southeast Asia via Hong Kong to Europe or Africa
- X-ray screening showed checked baggage carried no clothes or personal items, but tightly packed high-density parcels in unusually new suitcases
Why It Matters
The case points to continued pressure on Hong Kong's airport as traffickers try to use the city as a transfer point on long-haul drug routes. Customs said the operation cut off this group's route through Hong Kong, suggesting further scrutiny of transit and inbound passengers on similar itineraries