The largest amount of methamphetamine ever seized in Hong Kong after a shipment from Mexico worth approximately 1,1 Milliarden Hong Kong-Dollar (140 My. U.S. dollar) was discovered, authorities announced Saturday.
Customs officers found a record-breaking amount of 1,8 Tons of liquid methamphetamine hidden in coconut water cartons.
The show, which authorities say would likely involve a major international drug trafficking ring, comes at a time when China’s financial hub is seeing an increase in methamphetamine-related drug arrests.
“We believe the high purity liquid methamphetamine comes from South America. It was packed there and shipped to Hong Kong via a winding route to get to Australia from there, “said Senior Superintendent Lee Ka-ming, head of the Hong Kong Customs Drugs Bureau.
More than twice as much methamphetamine has been seized so far this year in Hong Kong compared to all of last year: authorities have seized nearly three tons.
The latest foray came just days after law enforcement found $ 1,000 worth of methamphetamine hidden in electrical transformers 5,9 millions of dollars had ensured that he was also on his way to Australia.
Customs Officer Fong Heung-wing told reporters that sharing information with law enforcement overseas has alerted Hong Kong authorities to the possibility of large shipments of liquid methamphetamine arriving in the city.
“Coconut water (supplies) from Mexico is extremely rare … last time 2016 and it weighed only six kilograms, “Fong said, adding that the size of the shipment is also suspicious.
The contraband was found in a container along with other goods and identified by X-rays last Sunday.
An online search for the suspected recipient of the shipment, an Australian company, revealed nothing, officials said.
The largest methamphetamine raid in Hong Kong to date took place in April when the agents 700 kg of the drug found in industrial plants in Mexico.
