Hong Kong customs seize another HK$80 million worth of cocaine, taking haul to 421kg in month, as local triads team up with Mexican drug syndicate

In latest raid, in Tai Kok Tsui on Monday night, officers uncover slabs of suspected cocaine weighing 80kg

Senior customs source says drug syndicate based in Mexico recently lined up with local triad gangs, hoping to smuggle cocaine to nearby countries via city

3-MIN READ3-MIN

Hong Kong customs seized about 80kg of suspected cocaine on Monday night. Photo: Handout

Published: 8:00pm, 30 Apr 2019Updated: 6:55am, 1 May 2019

Hong Kong customs have seized another HK$80 million (US$10.2 million) worth of cocaine, taking their total haul of the drug in April alone to 421kg, valued at about HK$420 million, as officers battle an international syndicate that has joined forces with local gangs to expand the Asian market, a source says.

The latest raid, in Tai Kok Tsui on Monday night, was the third major operation in a month and just four days after the Customs and Excise Department seized HK$240 million worth of the drug, a record for the city centre.

The total amount of cocaine confiscated in the three big raids in April outweighed the 255.4kg seized in the whole of 2018.

A senior customs source said a drug syndicate based in Mexico had recently lined up with local triad gangs, including the Wo Shing Wo, hoping to smuggle cocaine to nearby Asian countries via Hong Kong.

About HK$240 million worth of the drug was confiscated on April 25. Photo: Handout

“Local gangs can help make logistical arrangements as they have good knowledge of the region,” the insider said, adding the cocaine involved was mainly shipped from South America.