Two men arrested in customs’ HK$50m drug bust

Two men were arrested as customs busted two drug trafficking cases over the past three days and seized 153 kg of cannabis buds and 24 kg of ketamine worth some HK$50 million. 

In the first case, officers on Monday inspected a seaborne consignment, declared as carrying dry fruits and nuts and arriving from Canada, at their Kwai Chung examination compound and found the batch of suspected cannabis buds concealed inside 13 carton boxes. 

The suspected cannabis buds weighed 153 kg and was valued at over HK$37 million. 

After a follow-up investigation and a controlled delivery operation, customs arrested a 42-year-old man suspected to be connected with the case in Jordan on Wednesday. 

The arrested man was laid a holding charge of attempting to traffic in a dangerous drug and will appear at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (Fri). Customs believe the drug would be supplied to the market in West Kowloon. 

In the second case, customs intercepted a suspicious man in Tin Shui Wai last night (Wed) and seized about 1 kg of suspected ketamine inside the plastic bags carried by him. 

The 21-year-old man was then arrested. Further seizures were made at a nearby village house, including about 23 kg of suspected ketamine and a batch of drug packaging paraphernalia. Customs believe the drugs would be supplied to the New Territories West market. 

The arrested man was laid holding charges with two counts of trafficking in a dangerous drug and will appear at the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts tomorrow. 

Customs said they will continue to enhance enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis, and reminded the public not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary rewards. 

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offense and the maximum penalty upon conviction carries a HK$5 million fine and life imprisonment.