Hong Kong teen charged after customs seizes HK$14.9 million in suspected heroin
- Officers discovered the 17.2kg haul in four parcels sent by mail via Shenzhen
- Discovery is customs’ largest drug bust at a land border this year
A 15-year-old boy has been charged after Hong Kong customs seized HK$14.9 million (US$1.92 million) worth of suspected heroin at a checkpoint on the border with mainland China.
Officers discovered the 17.2kg haul at the Lok Ma Chau Control Point on Thursday, making it the largest drug bust by customs at a land border this year.
Officers were inspecting four express parcels declared as containing range hoods, which arrived in Hong Kong from Malaysia via Shenzhen, when they found the suspected heroin concealed inside the appliances.
The 15-year-old was arrested in Tsuen Wan on Friday after further investigation and charged with one count of drug trafficking and obstructing a customs officer in the execution of his duty. He will appear in court on Monday. The maximum penalty for drug trafficking is a HK$5 million fine and life imprisonment.
Officials seized 47kg of heroin in 2018, up 56 per cent over 2017.
