Customs busts three drug trafficking cases at airport, seizes $19m worth of heroin and ketamine

Customs arrested three men and seized about 9 kg of suspected heroin and 41 kg of suspected ketamine worth HK$19 million at Hong Kong International Airport over two days.

On January 29, officers found roughly 9 kg of suspected heroin with an estimated value of HK$5 million in the checked luggage of a 31-year-old man arriving from Bangkok via Bandar Seri Begawan.

Later the same day, a 34-year-old man arriving from Berlin via Doha had about 20 kg of suspected ketamine with an estimated market value of HK$7 million in his checked luggage.

On January 30, a 35-year-old man arriving from Brussels had approximately 21 kg of suspected ketamine with an estimated value of HK$7 million in his checked suitcase and three duty-unpaid cigarettes in his carry-on.

The first two men each face one count of trafficking dangerous drugs. 

The third faces one count of trafficking dangerous drugs, one count of possessing duty-unpaid cigarettes, and one count of failing to declare goods to customs.

All three will appear in the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts today.