Customs seizes $18m ketamine hidden in baby car seats, arresting three

Hong Kong Customs confiscated 36.2 kilograms of suspected ketamine valued at about HK$18 million concealed inside baby car seats from shipments originating in the Netherlands and Spain, resulting in the arrest of three suspects on Tuesday.

The drugs were discovered in two separate operations last December at the Kwai Chung Customhouse Cargo Examination Compound.

The first batch of cargo arrived in Hong Kong on December 16 (Tue), when a container from the Netherlands carrying 16 boxes was inspected at the Kwai Chung Customhouse Cargo Examination Compound.

Suspicious packets were detected within the inner layers of five baby car safety seats. 

Officers cut open the bottom of the vacuum-sealed plastic wrapping for further examination and discovered it was filled with expanding foam.

A total of 55 packets of suspected ketamine were seized, weighing 15.6 kilograms with an estimated value of HK$7.7 million.

Following this discovery, the Ports and Maritime Command identified and intercepted a related 40-foot container from Spain on December 19 (Fri). 

The shipment contained 13 different types of goods, including 12 boxes of baby car safety seats, seat covers, and motorcycle helmets.

During an X-ray screening, about 20.6 kilograms of suspected ketamine with an estimated market value of HK$10.2 million were found concealed inside 10 boxes of goods in the container.

The arrests include a 35-year-old unemployed man and a 31-year-old female waitress, who were detained on January 6 while collecting the goods from a logistics warehouse in Tin Shui Wai.

They were paid HK$30,000 and HK$5,000, respectively, with the man arranging for truck transportation and the woman responsible for signing the documents.

Another 42-year-old man apprehended in Sheung Shui received HK$30,000 in payment and was identified as a key member of the drug trafficking syndicate linked to the container from the Netherlands. 

The trio face joint charges of attempting to traffic dangerous drugs, with the 42-year-old facing an additional count.

Two involved truck drivers have been released on bail pending further investigation.