Hong Kong authorities seized a significant drug shipment during an anti-narcotics operation at the airport on the 16th. A 34-year-old Canadian man, who arrived from San Francisco, USA, was detained after customs officers found 23 kilograms of cocaine hidden in his luggage. The drugs have an estimated street value of HK$19 million.
The suspect, who reportedly worked in construction, admitted to being recruited by criminal organizations to transport narcotics. He claimed to have been offered tens of thousands of dollars in exchange for smuggling the drugs into Hong Kong. Posing as a tourist, he flew directly from San Francisco to the city.
He has been charged with “trafficking dangerous drugs” under Hong Kong law and is due to appear in West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow.
Police emphasized that any involvement in drug trafficking—regardless of role—is a serious crime. Under Hong Kong’s Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (Cap 134), offenders face severe penalties, including fines up to HK$5 million and life imprisonment. Cases involving international drug routes into Hong Kong are treated as aggravating circumstances during sentencing, underscoring the government’s zero-tolerance stance on narcotics.
