Hong Kong police have seized 241 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of HK$180 million from a yacht in the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter, marking the largest trafficking bust in the past year.
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Three local residents, including two men and one woman aged 46 to 51, were arrested on charges of trafficking in dangerous drugs and conspiracy to traffic in dangerous drugs.
The suspects, who claimed to be unemployed or working as fishermen, are scheduled to appear at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on Monday.
Chief Inspector of Narcotics Bureau Lam Pak-kiu said that intelligence analysis led investigators to believe that a major shipment of cocaine had recently been smuggled into Hong Kong.
With logistical support of security camera footage under SmartView, officers identified the moored yacht, which was allegedly being used as a temporary storage vessel for the syndicate’s illicit cargo.
Police also believed that a core member of the syndicate lived on an adjacent vessel to maintain round-the-clock surveillance over the drugs.
Late at night on June 26, officers launched a coordinated raid on the vessels. They uncovered suspected cocaine bricks from an eight-meter-long yacht and arrested two individuals at the scene.
A subsequent search of the syndicate mastermind’s residence in Aberdeen yielded documents related to the vessels and more than HK$2 million worth of suspected criminal proceeds, including a substantial amount of cash, jewelry, and luxury watches.
Acting Senior Superintendent of Narcotics Bureau Kwan Chun-hin noted that the arrestees had maintained close connections with overseas drug suppliers.
They allegedly took advantage of the standard operational routes used by fishermen to mask their trafficking activities, intending to break down the large haul for distribution in the local drug market.
