Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cannabis buds and duty-not-paid cigarettes at airport (with photo)
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A male passenger, aged 31, arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, today. During Customs clearance, Customs officers found a total of about 12kg of suspected cannabis buds in 20 vacuum-sealed plastic bags in his check-in suitcase and 100 sticks of duty-not-paid cigarette inside his carry-on baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.
The arrested man has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug, one count of possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and one count of failing to declare them to Customs officers. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (December 29).
Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also 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. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.
Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
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.
Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Ends/Sunday, December 28, 2025
Issued at HKT 16:46
Issued at HKT 16:46
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