Hong Kong Customs arrested three mainland men at Hong Kong International Airport on August 13 after finding 26kg of suspected cannabis flowers, worth about HK$5.3 million, in the checked baggage of two of them. The men were later charged with trafficking in a dangerous drug.
The men, aged between 42 and 64, had travelled to Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, via Hanoi, Vietnam. The case is scheduled to be heard at Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on August 15.
Customs said the operation followed an exchange of intelligence with mainland anti-drug authorities. The department did not provide further details about the suspected arrangement for carrying the drugs.
Customs investigation officer Chan Pui-yee said the department selected passengers from high-risk areas for targeted clearance checks based on intelligence analysis and risk-management principles.
Customs urged members of the public not to take part in drug trafficking for financial gain, accept employment or instructions to carry controlled items into or out of Hong Kong, or help transport items without first confirming what they are.
The three men have been charged but have not been convicted. The available information does not state how they will plead or whether they have been granted bail or remanded in custody.