Hong Kong customs seizes 15kg of liquid cocaine hidden in wine bottles at airport
- The value of the drugs, some HK$25million, would make the bust the third-largest this year
- A woman who had travelled to the city from Sao Paulo was arrested in connection with the seizure
Customs officers on Tuesday seized HK$25 million (US$3.25 million) worth of suspected liquid cocaine concealed in wine bottles at Hong Kong International Airport, the government said on Thursday.
An arriving female passenger, who travelled from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Doha, Qatar, was arrested when approximately 15kg of the illegal drug was discovered inside the 28-year-old woman’s suitcase during a customs inspection. An investigation is ongoing.
Earlier this month, customs officers made their largest airborne drug bust this year, bagging about HK$45 million worth of various drugs and arresting a male suspect. The haul included about 31kg of liquid cocaine that was found concealed in 45 red wine bottles during an inspection of an air cargo consignment arriving in the city from the United States on September 7.
A further probe led to the arrest of a 40-year-old, with another 910 grams of ketamine and 520 grams of methamphetamine discovered at the suspect’s home in Yau Ma Tei.
The value of the drugs seized on Tuesday would make it the third-biggest bust this year.
