Customs reminds youngsters not to smuggle drugs

13 Feb 2008

Hong Kong Customs today (February 13) warned youngsters not to bring dangerous drugs into or out from Hong Kong, or they may face prosecution.

The department reminds youngsters that drug trafficking and the possession of dangerous drugs are serious offences even for a small quantity of drugs.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, the maximum penalty for possession of dangerous drugs is seven years’ imprisonment and a fine of $1 million, while that for trafficking of dangerous drugs is life imprisonment and a fine of $5 million.

Customs officers of Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point yesterday afternoon arrested an arriving 18-year-old Hong Kong male student after discovering two grams of ketamine, worth $288. The drugs were concealed inside a rolled-up Hong Kong banknote in his trousers pocket. It was believed that the drugs were for self-consumption.

The arrested student was released on bail pending further investigation.

“The department will continue its stringent enforcement against cross-boundary drug trafficking. To strengthen the enforcement, the department not only makes use of the advanced technology, including the ion scanner and the X-ray checker, but also deploys drug detector dogs,” a spokesman for Customs said.

Since the opening of the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point on August 15, 2007, a total of 13 dangerous drugs cases had been cracked by Hong Kong Customs at the Control Point.

Ten men and three women, aged from 16 to 41, were arrested with the seizure of $62,397 worth of dangerous drugs in total.

Ends/Wednesday, February 13, 2008

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