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The crystal meth was disguised as packets of coffee powder and hidden in an airmail parcel that arrived from the United States. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong Customs seize 10 ½ kg of crystal meth, arresting mainland Chinese man

  • The drug, with a street value of HK$5.7 million, was delivered in an airmail parcel from California last week, disguised as packets of coffee
Drugs

Customs officers at Hong Kong International Airport have seized HK$5.7 million (US$727,000) worth of crystal meth disguised as packets of coffee powder and hidden in an airmail parcel arrived from the United States.

A man, who was visiting from mainland China, was arrested at the office of a logistics company in Yuen Long on Wednesday.

The 10.5kg haul was discovered in an routine inspection of the parcel, which arrived from California last Friday, according to the Customs and Excise Department.

“Initial investigation showed the drug was disguised as 30 packets of coffee powder in an attempt to avoid detection,” a law enforcement source said.

The 27-year-old man, who holds a two-way permit – a mainland travel document for entering the city – was arrested on Wednesday when he went to the office in Yuen Long to pick up the parcel.

Customs and Excise headquarters building in North Point. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

According to Hong Kong Customs, the consignment, with an estimated street value of HK$5.7 million, was for local consumption.

Officers from the Customs’ drug investigation bureau are handling the case.

The source said the haul was believed to be originally from Mexico.

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Customs officers noticed a new smuggling route of crystal meth from Mexico via the United States last year, prompting them to boost intelligence exchange and cooperation with their counterparts in the United States. In the whole of last year, they seized 23kg of the drug smuggled by this route.

In Hong Kong, trafficking in a dangerous drug carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a HK$5 million fine.

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