Hong Kong Customs earlier mounted a special operation codenamed "Bullseye" at Hong Kong International Airport to combat cross-boundary drug trafficking activities through passenger and staff channels and seized a total of about 18.3 kilograms of suspected cocaine with an estimated market value of about $23.7 million on September 22 and yesterday (September 24). Two flight crew members were arrested. This is the largest drug trafficking case involving flight crew members detected by Customs in the past decade.

     During the operation, Customs officers from Airport Command seized about 12 kilograms of suspected cocaine concealed inside two black plastic bags on September 22. After follow-up investigation, a 39-year-old woman suspected to be in connection with the case was arrested at a hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui on September 23. 

     They also seized about 6.3 kilograms of suspected cocaine concealed inside a black plastic bag yesterday. A 35-year-old man suspected to be in connection with the case was arrested.

     The two arrested persons have each been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The cases will be brought up at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (September 26).

     After preliminary investigation, it is believed that the suspected cocaine seized were from Africa.

     The "Bullseye" operation is ongoing.

     Customs has all along striven to combat cross-boundary drug trafficking activities and will continue to eliminate dangerous drug inflow through passenger, staff and cargo channels at the airport through strategies of risk-profiling and intelligence analysis.

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

Ends/Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Issued at HKT 22:33

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