CUSTOMS officers in Hong Kong have cracked three trafficking cases, seizing drugs worth HKD230 million (US$30 million), including cocaine hidden in health food and liquid 'ice' mixed inside avocado oil, in a space of 13 days, reports The Standard.
The operations were conducted between July 12 and 24, with 278 kilogrammes of drugs seized. Four men and a woman aged between 31 and 60 were arrested.
Officers first found 72kg of suspected cocaine worth about HKD85 million hidden in 6,865 bottles of maca powder, eggfruit powder and chia seeds in an industrial building on July 12.
The divisional commander of customs drug investigation bureau, Chan Siu-kau, said only 2.6 per cent of the batch of goods - 180 bottles of maca powder and eggfruit powder - contained the drug.
Meanwhile at the airport customs officers seized about 145kg of suspected liquid ice worth about HK$80 million while inspecting an air cargo consignment from Mexico declared as 1,500kg of avocado oil on July 20.
Customs also found 61kg of suspected heroin worth about HK$65 million in rice vermicelli seasoning packets while examining a seaborne consignment from Thailand on July 22.
This year, customs have found 1.4 tonnes of drugs, a 20 per cent increase over the first seven months of last year.
SeaNews Turkey
The operations were conducted between July 12 and 24, with 278 kilogrammes of drugs seized. Four men and a woman aged between 31 and 60 were arrested.
Officers first found 72kg of suspected cocaine worth about HKD85 million hidden in 6,865 bottles of maca powder, eggfruit powder and chia seeds in an industrial building on July 12.
The divisional commander of customs drug investigation bureau, Chan Siu-kau, said only 2.6 per cent of the batch of goods - 180 bottles of maca powder and eggfruit powder - contained the drug.
Meanwhile at the airport customs officers seized about 145kg of suspected liquid ice worth about HK$80 million while inspecting an air cargo consignment from Mexico declared as 1,500kg of avocado oil on July 20.
Customs also found 61kg of suspected heroin worth about HK$65 million in rice vermicelli seasoning packets while examining a seaborne consignment from Thailand on July 22.
This year, customs have found 1.4 tonnes of drugs, a 20 per cent increase over the first seven months of last year.
SeaNews Turkey