A 59-year-old man arriving from Brazil has been arrested after customs seized about 3 kg of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of HK$3.2 million at the airport.
Customs said the man arrived in Hong Kong from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, via Sao Paulo, Brazil and Doha, Qatar on Thursday.
During customs clearance, officers found the batch of suspected cocaine concealed in false compartments of his check-in suitcase. He was subsequently arrested, and an investigation is ongoing.
Customs said following the resumption of normal travel and exchanges with the mainland and other parts of the world, the number of visitors to Hong Kong has also been increasing steadily.
“Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities,” it said.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in dangerous drugs is a serious offense and the maximum penalty carries a HK$5 million fine and life imprisonment.