Customs Seize 3.6 kg Heroin at Hong Kong Airport, Arrest Two Passengers

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected heroin worth about $2.2 million at airport

Hong Kong Customs today (March 16) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 3.6 kilograms of suspected heroin with an estimated market value of about $2.2 million, as well as a suspected alternative smoking product.

A female passenger, aged 21, and a male passenger, aged 19, arrived in Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, today. During Customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected heroin inside the female passenger's check-in suitcase and the suspected alternative smoking product from her carry-on bag. Both were subsequently arrested.

An investigation is ongoing.

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.

Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Under the Import and Export Ordinance, a person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected heroin worth about $2.2 million at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected heroin worth about $2.2 million at airport Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Merchant Shipping (Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships) Bill to be gazetted on Friday

The Merchant Shipping (Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships) Bill will be published in the Gazette on Friday (March 21) to enact legislation to implement the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009 (HKC).

The HKC was adopted in Hong Kong, China on May 15, 2009, at the Diplomatic Conference of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) held in Hong Kong, China from May 11 to 15, 2009. It aims to ensure that ship recycling does not pose any unnecessary risk to human health, safety or the environment by addressing various issues in relation to ship recycling concerned by the IMO's member states and other relevant parties. It will enter into force globally on June 26, 2025. The Central People's Government is considering ratifying the HKC and will decide on the applicability of the HKC to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The HKC regulates both ships and ship recycling facilities. Although some objectives of the HKC align with those of the local legislation, existing provisions of the local legislation are not enough to fully implement the requirements of the HKC. A new ordinance with a new regulation will hence be enacted, with the new ordinance to be enacted first to ensure that it will be in place before the global entry-into-force date.

A spokesman for the Transport and Logistics Bureau said, "Hong Kong is the fourth largest shipping register in the world with more than 2 300 ships. We aim to ensure that these ships will fully comply with the requirements of the HKC, which is conducive to promoting sustainable development for ships that have reached the end of their operating life and protection of workers and the environment in the context of ship recycling. We believe the shipping industry and the public will welcome the enactment of such a Bill."

The Panel on Economic Development of the Legislative Council (LegCo) and the Hong Kong Fleet Operation Advisory Committee have been consulted. Members supported the proposal.

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The Bill will be introduced into the LegCo on March 26.