Hong Kong Customs in record HK$130 million air cargo cocaine trafficking bust

Hong Kong Customs has seized 110 kilograms of cocaine found in an air cargo from Brazil, making it the largest airborne cocaine trafficking case in 20 years.

Air Cargo 2 Divisional Commander of Airport Command Cheung Tin-ho said that the drugs, with an estimated value of HK$130 million, were found last Tuesday in two hydraulic devices after Customs officers conducted an x-ray scan.

Two men, aged 50 and 51, were arrested last Saturday in relation to the case. They were the company secretary and director of a construction company, which was registered as the recipient of the devices. The pair have been granted bail.

Customs requested assistance from the Fire Services Department, who used heavy duty break-in equipment to dismantle the hydraulic devices.

Officers said that the drugs were compressed into pieces with a mould, and then fitted into the axis of the devices.

Hong Kong customs drug bust — Hong Kong Fire Services Department taking the compressed drugs out of the axis of the devices. Photo: RTHK, via video screenshot.

The Head of Customs Drug Investigation Bureau Lee Kam-wing said that Customs believed that the drugs were for local distribution, and that the devices were meant for support purposes.

Lee added that recent trends showed that drugs trafficking has changed from airline passengers to courier mail bags, sea routes, and air cargo, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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