Air parcels packed with the party drug ketamine have been mailed to Hong Kong from India once a week for local and mainland dealers, a senior customs officer revealed yesterday.
The trafficking route was uncovered after an exchange of information with Indian customs. Inspections have since been stepped up at the airport's cargo terminal, said Senior Superintendent Ben Leung Lun-cheung, head of the Customs Drug Investigation Bureau.
'We have increased exchange of intelligence with related authorities in India to stop the trade and find out the sources of the drug,' he said.
Two customs officers flew to India earlier this month. Previously, customs had to seek help from Indian authorities through their office in Hong Kong.
'Through the meeting, we have established direct contacts with officials in India. We believe they can help us track down the sources of the drug in their country in order to stop the trade,' Mr Leung said.
About 10 days after the meeting, customs officers made the first seizure on March 16 - 5kg of ketamine hidden in an airmail parcel.
The second find came yesterday when officers seized 7.5kg of high-grade ketamine from an express mail parcel, also from India. The haul had a retail price of $1.4 million and was destined for Shenzhen.
The parcel was declared to be containing food, children's books and clothes, according to Ken Wong Man-chiu, head of the Customs' Air Cargo Group.
'Frontline officers felt suspicious as such goods are seldomly sent by express mail as there is a high delivery fee,' he said.
'As we opened the parcel for inspection, we found 14 packs of ketamine wrapped with aluminium foil among clothes, food and books.'
Mr Wong believed the foil was used in an attempt to escape X-ray detection. He said no arrests had been made but officers would follow up the case and seek help from mainland and Indian authorities to track down drug dealers.
Last year, customs officers arrested 31 alleged drug traffickers and seized 153kg of ketamine at the airport in 25 cases. Officers believe most of the drugs came from India and were bound for the mainland.
The drug has been in high demand in Hong Kong and on the mainland after enforcement actions by the authorities.
The wholesale price of ketamine has increased from $70,000 to $80,000 a kilogram early last year to about $150,000 a kilogram this year.
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