Police arrested four people, including three 16-year-old secondary school students, and seized HK$82 million worth of suspected methamphetamine disguised as frozen fruit in Kwai Chung, marking the city’s largest seizure of the drug this year.
The arrests followed a four-day operation targeting a multinational drug syndicate that attempted to smuggle a large quantity of narcotics into Hong Kong ahead of the Christmas period.
After an in-depth investigation, officers identified a suspicious air cargo shipment declared as frozen food that arrived at Hong Kong’s air cargo terminal last Monday (Dec 8).
With assistance from Customs officers, authorities discovered that 70 of the 360 boxes contained about 242 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine concealed inside frozen fruit packaging.
Investigators said the syndicate later hired a legitimate logistics company to transport the shipment to a 400-square-foot unit in an industrial building in Kwai Chung on Thursday (Dec 11).
During the operation, police arrested three teenagers who were receiving the shipment inside the unit, as well as a 29-year-old man who was loitering suspiciously outside the building.
It is understood that none of the suspects had received payment at the time of arrest, and some are believed to have triad affiliations. The 29-year-old man claimed to be unemployed, while the three teenagers are friends and students from different secondary schools.
All four suspects remain in custody and are scheduled to appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts next Monday (Dec 15).
Initial investigations revealed that the syndicate recruited individuals with financial incentives to assist with transportation and surveillance of the drugs within Hong Kong.
Authorities said the group exploited teenagers’ desire for quick money, assigning them high-risk roles such as unpacking and delivering narcotics, while the adult suspect acted as a lookout, believing that keeping his distance would reduce his risk of arrest.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and further arrests cannot be ruled out.
Regarding the exploitation of minors in drug trafficking, authorities indicated they would seek enhanced sentencing under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance.
As Christmas and New Year approach, police urged parents to remain vigilant and guide their children away from the lure of easy money.
Under Hong Kong law, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offense punishable by a maximum fine of HK$5 million and life imprisonment.
