Hong Kong Customs Arrest 62, Seize HK$431 Million of Drugs in Joint Airport Crackdown
Hong Kong customs officers have arrested 62 people and seized approximately 1.4 tonnes of suspected narcotics worth about HK$431 million (US$55.27 million) in a large-scale anti-drug operation conducted in cooperation with mainland Chinese and overseas law enforcement agencies.
The Customs and Excise Department said on Wednesday that the months-long operation, carried out between October and December, targeted organised drug syndicates using passenger and cargo channels at Hong Kong International Airport to smuggle illegal substances into and out of the city.
Investigators uncovered sophisticated concealment methods, with drugs hidden inside layers of frozen food, machinery parts and gift parcels. In some cases, narcotics were wrapped and embedded deep within items to evade detection during routine inspections.
Customs officials said syndicates also attempted to disguise their activities by exploiting logistics consolidators and purchasing agent companies. Drug parcels were shipped to Hong Kong without delivery instructions, allowing them to sit in warehouses for up to 45 days under free storage arrangements, reducing inspection risks and operating costs.
In 2025 alone, customs confiscated about 7.5 tonnes of illegal drugs, with roughly 70 per cent seized at the airport. Wong Ngar-lun, group head of airport investigation at the Customs and Excise Department, said the figures highlighted how aviation channels have become the preferred route for international drug syndicates.
“Especially towards the year-end festive travel season, criminals frequently attempt to smuggle dangerous drugs into and out of Hong Kong via aviation channels,” Wong said.
During the operation, authorities detected 183 drug-trafficking cases involving air cargo and airline passengers’ checked luggage, with nearly 80 per cent linked to cargo shipments.
The seized narcotics included 443 kilograms of ketamine, 424 kilograms of cannabis, 377 kilograms of methamphetamine, 37 kilograms of cocaine, 16 kilograms of Ecstasy pills, 12 kilograms of heroin and 79 kilograms of other illegal drugs.
Customs collaborated closely with authorities in Macau, New Zealand, Germany, France and Thailand, as well as mainland China, to exchange intelligence and conduct joint risk assessments. As a result of this cooperation, 12 of the arrests were carried out by overseas agencies.
Those arrested ranged in age from 19 to 77 and included suspects of various nationalities. Investigators said many traffickers attempted to use legitimate logistics companies as a cover for their illegal activities.
Joanna Mok, divisional commander of Air Cargo 3, said drug-smuggling tactics were constantly evolving. Syndicates increasingly concealed drugs within everyday items such as frozen food, machinery components and falsely declared chemical products to complicate inspections.
She cited three major cases involving suspected methamphetamine concealed in cargo shipped from Mexico and Vietnam, including a lathe plate, liquid containers falsely labelled as stone protection agents and styrofoam boxes of frozen oyster meat. X-ray scans revealed density inconsistencies, leading officers to uncover hidden compartments containing drugs.
Customs said it would continue working closely with the logistics and aviation industries to identify suspicious cargo and strengthen airport security.
Last September, a separate joint operation led to 96 arrests and the seizure of more than HK$479 million worth of narcotics, underscoring the ongoing challenge posed by transnational drug syndicates.
