​Hong Kong Customs yesterday (May 6) seized 44 pieces of clothing soaked with suspected heroin with a total weight of about 12 kilograms at Hong Kong International Airport. The estimated market value of the drug was about $15.8 million.

     Customs officers yesterday inspected an air express parcel, declared as carrying ladies clothes, arriving from Afghanistan en route to Australia via Hong Kong and found the 44 pieces of clothing inside were suspicious, such as having a sour smell, looking stiffer than usual for clothes and being heavier. Upon in-depth examination, the batch of clothing was found to be soaked with suspected heroin. It was believed that the culprits had intended to impregnate the clothes with liquid heroin to evade detection by Customs officers.

     An investigation is ongoing.

     Customs will continue to make use of intelligence analysis, risk assessment and international co-operation to step up action against drug trafficking activities through postal parcels or express courier channels. 
      
     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/Friday, May 7, 2021
Issued at HKT 19:00

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