Hong Kong Seizes Record HK$125 Million Cannabis Shipment From Thailand
Hong Kong Seizes Record HK$125 Million Cannabis Shipment From Thailand
HONG KONG — Hong Kong Customs has seized about 535kg of suspected cannabis buds worth an estimated HK$125 million (US$15.9 million) in the city’s largest-ever seaborne drug trafficking case, after intercepting a 40-foot container arriving from Thailand.
Customs officers selected the container for inspection on September 2 following risk assessment and intelligence analysis. The shipment had been declared as carrying insulated boxes.
Inside, officers found 1,342 insulated boxes, of which 364 concealed about 535kg of suspected cannabis buds. The drugs had been vacuum-packed and hidden inside the boxes.
Customs subsequently conducted a controlled-delivery operation as investigators sought to identify people connected to the shipment.
On September 17, officers arrested two Hong Kong men, aged 21 and 47, in Mong Kok. A 44-year-old Vietnamese man who arrived to collect the consignment was also arrested. The two Hong Kong suspects were released on bail pending further investigation, while the Vietnamese suspect was charged with attempting to traffic in a dangerous drug. His case was scheduled to be heard at Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on September 21.
Under Hong Kong’s Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug carries a maximum penalty of a HK$5 million fine and life imprisonment upon conviction.
The record sea seizure came amid a broader rise in cannabis trafficking cases involving Hong Kong.
Customs separately reported two airport cases on September 19 involving passengers arriving from Bangkok. In one case, officers found about 1kg of suspected cannabis concealed inside snack packaging in a 40-year-old mainland Chinese man’s carry-on backpack. In another, two mainland Chinese men aged 35 and 37 arrived from Bangkok, with about 6kg of suspected cannabis found inside one passenger’s carry-on luggage.
Those two cases brought the airport seizures to about 7kg, with an estimated value of HK$1.4 million, according to Hong Kong Customs. Both investigations remained ongoing.
Hong Kong Customs said it seized 2,875kg of cannabis-related drugs during the first eight months of 2026, up 27% from 2,262kg during the same period in 2025. The amount also exceeded the 2,863kg seized throughout 2024.
The latest record seizure highlights continued efforts by Hong Kong authorities to disrupt international drug trafficking networks using maritime cargo and passenger routes.
