BEIJING: China Customs arrested a 29 years old woman who was trying to smuggle 3 kilogram of ketamine at Lo Wu border checkpoint when she returned to the city from Shenzhen.
It’s the fourth case involving cross-border smuggling in 10 days.
Calvin Chan Ching-yuen, head of the customs drug investigation group, said that during the inspection, officers found 3kg of what appeared to be ketamine in a bag she was carrying.
“In a controlled delivery operation, two men, both aged 18, were picked up in Sau Mau Ping at about 10.45pm,” he said.
The haul has an estimated street value of HK$420,000.
Chan believes the drug was for local consumption. He said the investigation was continuing.
The men, who are restaurant workers and the woman, were being held for questioning. None have been charged.
Last week, customs officers foiled three similar smuggling attempts at control points. They arrested six people and seized more than 17kg of crystal methamphetamine, also known as Ice. The drugs have an estimated street value of HK$6.87 million.
Chan said there was no indication that there was a rising trend of drug smuggling at land control points.
On Tuesday last week, customs officers intercepted a woman, 21, and seized 4.16kg of Ice at the Lok Ma Chau border checkpoint when she returned to the city from Shenzhen. Officers later arrested a man, 40, in Kwun Tong in connection with the case.
On Thursday last week, officers intercepted a man, 34, and seized 3kg of Ice at the Lo Wu control point.
On the same day, officers intercepted a Hong Kong-bound car at Lok Ma Chau. They seized 10kg of Ice on board the vehicle and arrested two men. In a follow-up operation, officers arrested another man in Kwun Tong.
Customs and police officers seized 611kg of methamphetamine last year, a 333 per cent rise from the previous year. Seizures of ketamine increased by 69 per cent last year to 382kg.
