Record cocaine haul sent to HK by mistake

A Dutch-Chinese man whose disappearance led to Hong Kong's largest seizure of high-grade cocaine was negotiating with local dealers for the return of the drugs, which were mistakenly shipped to the city, police say.

Chang Ma-ki, who in his 50s, has not been seen since shortly after he left the Tsuen Wan flat where he was staying with his wife on Thursday. He had told her to call police if he did not return by 10pm.

More than 50 police officers yesterday searched the area around a village house near the border where 372 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of HK$337 million was found and seven people, including a village head, were arrested on Sunday.

An eighth suspect was arrested yesterday, and police said further arrests were possible.

The narcotics bureau's acting chief superintendent, Ted Tsang Cheung-tat, said the haul was the largest single police seizure of cocaine on record.

Chang, who holds a Dutch passport, arrived from the Netherlands with his wife on April 15, weeks after the drugs arrived in the city, police said. 'Intelligence shows that he is suspected of having been involved in drug trafficking and came to Hong Kong two or three times a year,' a police officer said. 'This time, he came to hold negotiations with local dealers because the drugs were mistakenly shipped into Hong Kong.'

The officer did not say where the drugs were supposed to be sent or when they arrived. Police did not know whether the haul was for local or other markets, Tsang said.