Hong Kong customs seizes HK$140 million of liquid meth disguised as chilli sauce
- Two men, including visitor from North America, arrested after illegal substance discovered in Fanling warehouse
Hong Kong customs has confiscated HK$140 million (US$18 million) worth of liquid meth disguised as chilli sauce and smuggled in from Mexico in the city’s biggest seizure of the drug this year.
The Post learned on Tuesday two men, a North American, 50, and a resident, 29, were arrested separately within two weeks after the methamphetamine, also known as Ice, was discovered in a warehouse in Fanling late last month.
Officials also seized about 350kg (772lbs) of sodium hydroxide, 28 litres (7.4 gallons) of acetone and 10 litres of hydrochloric acid, along with household items that included a tent, four induction hobs, a large thermal box, blenders, air purifiers, exhaust fans and cooking utensils.
“Assembling all these household items is enough to set up a drug production laboratory [used for turning liquid meth into a solid state],” Assistant Superintendent Joseph Kwok Tsun-ah of the customs’ drug investigation bureau said.
But he warned that the seized chemicals, needed for refining the drug, were highly corrosive and flammable and that careless handling could cause a fire or an explosion.
“Preliminary investigations suggested the warehouse was being used as a transit station to store this batch of narcotics and equipment before being moved to a lab to turn liquid meth into solid or powder,” he added.