Customs seize 11kg of cocaine hidden in wheelchair at Hong Kong airport
A 51-year-old man flying in from Sint Maarten via Paris has been arrested
On Sunday, 15 October, Hong Kong Customs officers sniffed out around 11kg worth of suspected cocaine concealed in a wheelchair.
A 51-year-old male passenger flew into Hong Kong Chep Lap Kok International Airport from the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten via Paris. He claimed to be a car rental company director.
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A press release by Customs and Excise on Sunday said, “Customs officers found the batch of suspected cocaine concealed inside the interlinings of the cushions and the back of his check-in electric wheelchair. The man was subsequently arrested.”
An investigation is currently ongoing.
The seized contraband, weighing at about 11 kilograms, is estimated to be worth HK$12 million.
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If found guilty of trafficking a dangerous drug, the 51-year-old could face life imprisonment and a HK$5 million fine.
Hong Kong has recently been campaigning for strict drug laws surrounding, the criminalisation of CBD, where the cannabinoid compound is categorised as a dangerous drug alongside fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.
In other parts of Asia, lawmakers in Malaysia are trying to pass a bill to offer treatment instead of punishment for drug users.
[Via HKFP & GovHK]
