According to Hong Kong customs has the number of people arrested and the quantity of drugs seized increased this year. This is as air travel has neared pre-pandemic levels.
Customs says, that as the number of visitors increases, they will continue to focus on selecting travelers from high-risk regions for clearance. The hope is to combat international drug smuggling.
Customs officers at Hong Kong International Airport arrested 30 travelers in the first six months of this year. In the same period last year, they arrested only seven people.
There have been smuggled nearly 46kg of narcotics worth HK$39 million, compared to the 5.7kg of drugs valued at HK$5.9 million in the first half of 2022.
At least two tourists allegedly trafficked drugs concealed in biscuit tins in July. A 26-year-old man who arrived from Macau and a 62-year-old woman flying from Copenhagen, Denmark.
The woman was arrested after authorities found suspected cocaine in three tins of biscuits and three containers of crisps. The drugs weighed about 6.5kg and had an estimated value of HK$7 million.
Trafficking dangerous drugs is a serious offence in Hong Kong. The maximum penalty is a fine of $5 million and life in prison.
Source: scmp.com
