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Ambrose Li

Hong Kong customs has arrested 10 people and seized suspected cannabis buds worth an estimated HK$56 million (US$7 million) in a month-long operation targeting a syndicate accused of smuggling the drug from Southeast Asia to Europe and Africa via the city.
Code-named Fire Mesh, the operation ran from July 13 to Monday this week and resulted in the seizure of about 240kg (529lbs) of cannabis buds, the Customs and Excise Department said on Tuesday.
“We targeted transit baggage from Southeast Asia for inspection. The average visitor arriving in or transiting through Hong Kong should carry different types of clothing and personal items for a long-haul journey,” Senior Inspector Chan Kai-hin said.
“However, X-ray scans showed that the luggage contained no personal items, and instead revealed suspicious uniform parcels tightly packed inside the suitcases.”
He added that another indication was the condition of the suitcases.
Those used to transport the suspected cannabis were new, unlike the luggage typically used by tourists, which might show signs of wear and tear, including scratches, stickers and labels from previous trips, the department said.
Chow Kai-kwong, a senior customs investigator, said an investigation was launched immediately based on the passenger information displayed on the baggage. Ten people were subsequently identified and arrested at the airport.
The suspects comprised nine men and one woman, aged 18 to 57, holding British, French, US and Thai passports, Chow said.

“Our investigation revealed that a drug-trafficking syndicate was recruiting people of various nationalities for financial gain and arranging for them to smuggle cannabis from Southeast Asia via Hong Kong to Europe and Africa, in an attempt to evade detection by law-enforcement agencies,” he said.
One of the suspects attempted to evade customs officers by changing his itinerary at the last minute from transiting through Hong Kong to entering the city, Chow said.
“We believe the operation successfully disrupted the syndicate’s route, which used Hong Kong as a stepping stone to smuggle drugs to Europe and Africa,” he said.
Chow said the operation was mounted in response to the use of Hong Kong by drug-trafficking syndicates as a transit point for smuggling drugs to other destinations.
He stressed that drug trafficking was a serious offence punishable by up to life imprisonment and a fine of HK$5 million upon conviction.
In May, police arrested three men and seized more than half a tonne of suspected cannabis buds worth about HK$100 million.
The haul, weighing 511.5kg and valued at HK$98.7 million, was the third-largest cannabis seizure recorded by city authorities since 2020.


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Law and Crime

About 240kg of suspected cannabis buds seized in month-long operation targeting a syndicate that used the city as a transit hub


About 240kg of suspected cannabis buds seized in month-long operation targeting a syndicate that used the city as a transit hub.


Hong Kong customs arrests 10 over HK$56 million cannabis haul bound for Europe, Africa

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}About 240kg of suspected cannabis buds seized in month-long operation targeting a syndicate that used the city as a transit hub

About 240kg of suspected cannabis buds seized in month-long operation targeting a syndicate that used the city as a transit hub