Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases at airport with seizure worth about $11.9 million
Hong Kong Customsyesterday (April 12) detected two drug trafficking cases involving passengers at Hong Kong International Airport and seized a total of about 12 kilograms of suspected ketamine and about 7kg of suspected cocaine, with a total estimated market value of about $11.9 million.
In the first case, a local female, aged 19, arrived in Hong Kong from Paris, France, yesterday. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 12kg of suspected ketamine inside her check-in suitcase. She was subsequently arrested.
The arrestee has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and will appear at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (April 14).
In the second case, through risk assessment, customs officers intercepted a 57-year-old female passenger who planned to depart from Hong Kong to Brussels yesterday. Upon a search, Customs officers found about 7kg of suspected cocaine from her check-in luggage. The woman was 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 to 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.
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/en).
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases at airport with seizure worth about $11.9 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases at airport with seizure worth about $11.9 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Private car drivers urged to choose suitable Child Restraining Device under mandatory requirements
The Transport Department (TD) today (April 22) reminded parents, guardians or private car drivers to choose and use a suitable Child Restraining Device (CRD), such as a child safety seat, that is appropriate for children's body size and complies with relevant standards to reduce the risks of being killed or seriously injured in traffic accidents, thereby enhancing protection for children and passenger safety.
Starting from November 1, 2025, unless child passengers aged below 8 reach a body height of 1.35 metres, they must use a CRD in private cars, regardless of whether they are sitting in the front or rear seats. Passengers aged 8 or above, or those with a body height of at least 1.35m, must either use a CRD or wear an adult seat belt. Otherwise, the driver must not drive the car on any road.
A spokesman for the TD said, "When choosing a CRD, parents, guardians or private car drivers carrying a child passenger should accord top priority to the height and/or weight range for which the product is suitable. They should also look for any markings indicating compliance with national or international standards recognised. For enquiries, they should consult the manufacturer or retailer on the product standards to meet legal requirements."
Of note, after a collision such as a traffic accident, CRDs may show no visible signs of damage on the surface, but their internal structure may have been damaged, reducing their protective effectiveness, and they should not be used again. In addition, when purchasing second-hand CRDs, it is difficult to guarantee that the product has not been hit. For those used by relatives or friends, one should ascertain whether they have been dropped or bumped.
Apart from conventional types of child safety seats, there are various types of portable CRDs, such as seat belt adjusters, wearable safety restraint vests and foldable boosters, available in the market for selection. Yet, as portable CRDs do not have protective pads and seat backs on both sides, their protection capabilities in side-impact collisions are in general not as good as those of child safety seats.
The TD has launched a designated page on CRDs (www.td.gov.hk/en/road_safety/crd) coupled with infographics on the Agent T Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AgentT.hk) to set out details of the legal requirements and standards concerned. The TD will continue to work with the Police, the Road Safety Council and the Consumer Council to step up relevant publicity and public education. Members of the public may call the TD's hotline (2804 2600) for details.
Private car drivers urged to choose suitable Child Restraining Device under mandatory requirements Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
