HK snares record US$39m of meth
Print Edition
Hong Kong authorities yesterday announced a record seizure of over half a ton of methamphetamine, saying the coronavirus pandemic had led smugglers to riskier bulk shipments in place of traditional drug mules.
The crystal meth 鈥 reportedly worth around HK$300 million (US$39 million) 鈥 was discovered last Thursday hidden in a shipping container with a declared cargo of cement bags, officials said.
The shipment was headed from Vietnam to Australia, but suspicions were reportedly raised by its unusual route.
The container originated in Mexico, went through South Korea and then remained in Vietnam for three months before sailing onto Hong Kong.
鈥淲e believe the traffickers were trying to avoid customs investigations and surveillance by designing such an extraordinarily circuitous route,鈥 Barry Chu, head of the city鈥檚 Customs Drug Investigation Bureau, told reporters.
Chu said the pandemic, which has dramatically slashed international travel, has cut off one of the most reliable and expendable transport methods for drug cartels 鈥 the use of human 鈥渕ules.鈥 鈥淭his year, due to widespread travel restrictions, most of the trafficking was carried out via freight transport, postal services and express delivery,鈥 he said.
Most of the 244kg of meth Hong Kong customs have seized over the nine months before Thursday鈥檚 record haul was smuggled in this way, he added.
Hong Kong officials said no arrests have been made over last week鈥檚 record find.
But investigators will share evidence with international law enforcement organizations.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
