Hong Kong customs urges returning overseas students to ‘not risk smuggling cannabis’ into city after three-fold rise in cases at airport

Hong Kong customs has urged returning overseas students to “not risk smuggling cannabis” into the city as the number of cases involving the drug detected at the airport has tripled in the last two months.

Cannabis-related cases between June and July at Hong Kong International Airport surged to 35 from the 11 reported in the same period last year and involved 123kg of the drug worth HK$16 million (US$2 million), according to the Customs and Excise Department.

Senior Inspector Lau Chi-chun of airport command on Friday said the seized drugs were smuggled from some North American countries with relatively loose regulations, adding that some students who were studying abroad had brought cannabis to the city during their summer holidays, leading to a rise in such cases.

Lau said various methods used to pack the drug had increased investigation difficulties, noting that smugglers often vacuumed packages to eliminate the unique smell of cannabis.

In one of the cases, a smuggler had reported an air freight item as a “health product”. They vacuumed the cannabis buds and mixed them with herbs which had a similar appearance to the drug and also a strong odour in an attempt to confuse inspectors.

Customs said it had increased efforts to combat cannabis smuggling during the summer. Officers confiscated drugs worth a total of HK$46 million across the city, and arrested seven people aged between 18 and 36 in June and July.

In Hong Kong, trafficking in a dangerous drug is punishable by a maximum fine of HK$5 million and up to life in prison.