HONG KONG, Dec. 8 -- Hong Kong customs seized about nine kg of suspected cocaine worth about 10 million HK dollars (1. 29 million U.S. dollars) at Hong Kong International Airport on Monday and arrested two incoming passengers traveling together.

The arrested persons, a 21-year-old man who claimed to be unemployed and a 20-year-old woman who claimed to be a cashier, arrived at Hong Kong from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Upon baggage examination, Customs officers found 12 cans of canned fruit in the female passenger's checked-in suitcase. Subsequent to in-depth inspection, the cans were found containing the suspected drugs.

The two arrestees will be jointly charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and appear at Tsuen Wan Magistrates' Courts on Tuesday.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, drug trafficking is a serious offense. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment and a fine of 5 million HK dollars.

Hong Kong customs said they will continue to keep track of the latest drugs trafficking trend and formulate pertinent anti- narcotics enforcement strategy. The Department will strengthen intelligence exchange with various overseas law enforcement agencies so as to combat transnational drugs trafficking activities collaboratively.