Cocaine traffickers go upscale: latest major bust in Hong Kong involves designer luggage, high-class rooms and a glittering sum of US$30 million
- Largest cocaine bust ever in the city centre hauls in 250kg
- Suitcases found in the operation cost almost HK$10,000
Designer suitcases, a luxury flat and an upscale hotel room were among the pricey camouflage tactics used by drug smugglers who were caught in Hong Kong this week with 250kg of cocaine in the biggest bust of its kind by customs officials since 2012.
Ip Kwok-leung, commander of the customs’ drug investigation division, said on Saturday that traffickers might pose as high-end travellers and carry drugs in suitcases made by famous brands. He described the strategy as uncommon.
“Normally, when we use the technique of profiling, if a person appears to be high-class – of course there is a chance that he or she could have a connection to drugs – but it may not arouse our suspicion,” he said at a news conference.
The two male suspects, aged 24 and 44, were arrested on Thursday after a series of raids on a four-star hotel room and two flats, one of which was in an upscale building. In total, the street value of the seized cocaine in all locations was about HK$240 million (US$30.5 million).
The customs operation was also the largest cocaine bust ever in the city centre, and the third major haul of the drug in just two months.
