Hong Kong Customs detects largest seaborne ketamine trafficking case in nearly 10 years

HONG KONG, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Customs said Thursday it seized about 220 kilograms of suspected ketamine at the Kwai Chung Customhouse Cargo Examination Compound on July 30, the largest seaborne ketamine trafficking case detected by the Customs since May 2012.

Through risk assessment and intelligence exchanges, Customs officers inspected a seaborne consignment, declared as carrying cotton yarn which arrived in Hong Kong from Pakistan on that day. The batch of suspected ketamine was found concealed inside 162 cotton yarn spools mix-loaded with a lot of other cotton yarn spools.

After follow-up investigation, Customs officers arrested a 35-year-old woman suspected to be connected with the case in Fanling on Tuesday.

Investigation is ongoing and the arrested woman has been released on bail pending further investigation, the Hong Kong Customs said.

The Customs reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong.

The public are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods, the Customs said.

Under Hong Kong's Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of 5 million Hong Kong dollars (about 643,006 U.S. dollars) and life imprisonment.