Hong Kong customs seizes HK$640 million worth of crystal meth camouflaged as snail shells from Mexico, arrests 4
- Four people arrested in connection with 1.1 tonnes of suspected crystal meth found in container
- Haul is biggest seizure of its kind by customs department so far
Hong Kong customs officers have made their biggest seizure of suspected crystal meth in solid form yet, discovering a haul worth HK$640 million (US$81.8 million) in a shipment of snail shells from Mexico.
Superintendent Ip Kwok-leung, head of customs’ drug investigation group, on Monday said four people had been arrested in connection with the discovery of 1.1 tonnes of suspected methamphetamine, also known as Ice.
The haul, discovered on October 26, took the total amount of illegal drugs seized by customs in the first 10 months of the year to about 7.5 tonnes, a 41 per cent jump compared with the same period in 2022, he added.
Ip said the increase showed “the effectiveness of enforcement strategies as well as international cooperation with mainland China and overseas law enforcement agencies”.
The container, declared as having more than 600 bags stuffed with shells, was selected for inspection after arriving from Mexico last month, according to the Customs and Excise Department.
When explaining why the shipment was chosen for inspection, Assistant Superintendent Alex Wong Kei-cheung of the containerised cargo examination division said its documents indicated the consignor’s location was a residential flat in Mexico, which was unusual.
He added South America was known as one of the major sources of illicit drugs.
X-rays of the cargo had revealed suspicious materials that led officers to further inspect the container at the department’s Kwai Chung compound on October 26. Crystal meth was found in 104 of the bags.
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“The narcotic was camouflaged as snail shells that were coated with wax,” the superintendent said. “Each piece weighs about 1kg [2.2lbs], and each bag carries about 10 pieces mingled with genuine shells.”
Ip said the drug trafficking syndicate disguised the illegal substance as “ordinary shells” in a bid to avoid detection at the seaport of entry.
On the same day, customs officers arrested two men and a woman from two logistics companies for their alleged involvement in the case. The three suspects were released on bail pending further investigation.
The cargo was transported to a Sheung Shui warehouse before it was delivered to an industrial unit on Wong Chuk Yeung Street in the Fo Tan area of Sha Tin district on Saturday as per an order from the consignee.
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Plain-clothes officers from customs’ drug investigation bureau carried out surveillance during a seven-hour controlled delivery operation, according to a source familiar with the case.
The insider said two trucks, deployed in the operation, had to make two trips to deliver the huge consignment.
Another 27-year-old man, believed to have rented an industrial unit to store the narcotics, was arrested on the Fo Tan premises on Saturday.
Assistant Superintendent Ray Ho Ming-wai of customs’ drug investigation bureau said a preliminary investigation suggested the suspect was the core member of a drug-trafficking syndicate and responsible for collecting the shipment, working as a keeper and packaging illegal drugs.
He said they seized equipment such as electronic scales, sealers, at least two metal moulds and a press machine in the flat, allegedly used as a drug storage and packaging centre.
As of Monday, the man was still being held on suspicion of drug trafficking – an offence punishable by up to life imprisonment and a HK$5 million fine.
The superintendent said the 1.1 tonnes of suspected crystal meth seized in the operation had an estimated street value of HK$640 million.
Ip added that the consignment was the largest single seizure of meth in solid form since records began two decades ago.
“We believe part of the haul was intended for local consumption, while the rest was destined for other countries such as Australia, Japan and New Zealand, where the narcotic could be sold at several times its value,” he said.
The superintendent said they had dealt a heavy blow to the drug trafficking syndicate by seizing its HK$640 million haul and would work with overseas law enforcement agencies to track down those behind the shipment.
Billion-dollar meth seizure biggest drugs bust in Hong Kong history
In October last year, customs seized HK$1.1 billion worth of liquid meth hidden in cartons of coconut water from Mexico, the largest local haul of the illegal drug.
Customs confiscated 5.3 tonnes of crystal meth between January 2022 and October this year, a 150 per cent rise from the 2.1 tonnes seized in all of 2020 and 2021.
In addition to drug seizures at control points, customs officers also made two major seizures in the city’s urban area in the past three months. They confiscated 230kg of suspected cocaine in Kwai Chung on August 29, and another 100kg of ketamine along with 1.1kg of cannabis buds in the same area on October 31.
“Customs will continue to use its professionalism and determination to intercept the inflow of illegal drugs into the city, safeguarding the country’s southern gateway,” Ip said.
He added they would continue to maintain close cooperation and exchange intelligence with mainland, Macau and overseas law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking activities.
