Hong Kong customs uncovers biggest haul of ketamine at airport in 14 years, seizing 200kg worth HK$86 million

Customs officers have confiscated about HK$86 million (US$10.95 million) worth of ketamine hidden in an air consignment of electric drills from the Netherlands, making it the biggest haul of the drug uncovered at Hong Kong International Airport in 14 years.

Five men were rounded up in an operation in which customs officers posed as delivery workers and dropped off the consignment at a Tai Kok Tsui factory building on Monday.

The consignment, declared as carrying 12 boxes of electric drills, was selected for inspection after it was sent to the city last month from the Netherlands via Taiwan.

Assistant Superintendent Wun Chiu-yue, from custom’s airport command at its air cargo group, on Tuesday said it was not common for such equipment to be shipped into the city from the Netherlands.

“Our investigation indicated there were no records showing the consignee and sender of the goods involved in any previous shipment,” he said. “This raised our suspicions so we chose the consignment for inspection.”

During their inspection on May 6, customs officers at the airport discovered eight of the boxes contained 200 bags of ketamine weighing 200kg in total. On the same day, two logistics workers were arrested when they went to collect the goods at the airport cargo terminal. They were later bailed.

Superintendent Lee Man-lok of customs’ drug investigation bureau said three controlled deliveries had been arranged since May 6, but were all cancelled because a man allegedly authorised by the consignee could not be contacted or claimed he was unavailable to collect the consignment.

“It is possible the drug-smuggling syndicate used this tactic to test whether it was an ambush by law enforcers,” he said.