(From left) Divisional Commander (Containerized Cargo Examination) of the Ports and Maritime Command of Customs Alex Wong Kei Cheung, Group Head (Drug Investigation) of the Customs Drug Investigation Bureau of Customs Fong Heung-wing, and Senior Investigator of the Drug Investigation Division 2 of the Customs Drug Investigation Bureau of Customs Yeung Wai-hon attend the press conference on $230 million drug bust at the Customs Headquarters Building in North Point on Aug 31, 2023. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong Customs has seized its largest-ever in-town haul of cannabis buds, weighing 570 kilograms and with an estimated street value of HK$115 million ($14.7 million).

The drugs, which were concealed in 145 cartons among over 500 boxes of home appliances, were discovered at a logistics warehouse in the New Territories on Feb 26. The city has tripled cannabis seizures over the past three years.

The raid was among a slew of citywide law enforcement operations by customs officers to combat cannabis trafficking by sea, land and air in January and February, which raked in a total of about 790 kilograms of suspected cannabis

At a press conference on Monday, Dennis Lau Wai-lung, assistant superintendent of the customs’ drug investigation bureau, said a male, aged 53, who claimed to be a logistics company owner, was arrested on Friday, after a follow-up investigation. Lau did not rule out the possibility of further arrests.

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The raid was among a slew of citywide law enforcement operations by customs officers to combat cannabis trafficking by sea, land and air in January and February, which raked in a total of about 790 kilograms of suspected cannabis. 

Lau said the cartons containing the cannabis buds were mixed in with air freshener. It was suspected that they would be transported elsewhere.

Wong Ho-yin, head of the customs drug investigation bureau, said that this will be the focus of the investigation.

Wong noted that 9.5 tons of drugs of all types were seized by the Customs and Excise Department in 2023, with cannabis being the most seized drug, accounting for a quarter of the total.

Wong added that the number of cannabis seizures by customs has been on the rise in recent years, from 774 kg seized in 2021 to 2,423 kg in 2023.

Wong added that cannabis has always been one of the key drugs targeted by Hong Kong Customs. He said the number of cannabis seizures shows that there is a significant increase in the demand for cannabis in the local drug market, many of whom are young people.

Chan Mong-tik, the commander of the airport investigation group from the drug investigation bureau of the customs, revealed that this year drugs were trafficked into the city hidden inside larger objects, such as sofas, as smugglers attempted to bring in a larger quantities of drugs. Previously, most cases busted involved small items such as containers of pet food.

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Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, the city's customs officials have found more instances of drug-smuggling gangs recruiting members to pretend to be tourists to bring drugs into the city, Chan said. 

Wong said that Hong Kong Customs, as the first line of defense for Hong Kong, will not let up on illegal smuggling of cannabis.

He reiterated that trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offense and liable to a maximum fine of HK$5 million and life imprisonment.