The 39-year-old arrived at Hong Kong International Airport from Penang on Sunday (25 October) and was pulled aside for a customs clearance check, where officers found about 2.2kg of suspected cocaine in his carry-on baggage, FMT reported, citing a statement from the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department.
He was arrested and charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug. The case was listed at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court on Monday (26 October).
The haul carries an estimated market value of HK$1.3 million, or about RM700,000, according to The Rakyat Post. Hong Kong Customs said it would keep checking passengers arriving from high-risk locations and would rely on intelligence-sharing and risk assessment to curb cross-border trafficking.
Trafficking in a dangerous drug carries a maximum fine of HK$5 million (RM2.6 million) and life imprisonment on conviction under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance.
Sunday’s arrest is the second on the route in days. A 25-year-old Chinese national was detained at the same airport on Thursday (22 October) after 2kg of suspected cocaine turned up in his checked-in baggage. He had been in Malaysia for three days and was promised about RM1,200 for the job, The Rakyat Post reported. Investigators were told he arrived on Cathay Pacific flight CX622 and collected the drugs from an unidentified person at a supermarket in Penang, Utusan Malaysia added. His passport had been issued only in October with no other travel records, and he had booked several hotels despite the short stay.
Bukit Aman’s Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department is working with Hong Kong authorities to identify syndicate members who may be based in Malaysia, its director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said.
The Penang route sits inside a wider enforcement picture. Police logged 77 drug mule cases at Kuala Lumpur International Airport between January and 15 October, leading to 93 arrests and the seizure of more than 2.5 tonnes of drugs valued at RM202.76 million. Seizures there climbed from RM18.4 million in 2023 to well over RM100 million this year.
British nationals make up the largest group held at KLIA with 26 people, ahead of Malaysians with 23 and Singaporeans with 11. Hussein said tighter security and near-daily arrests at KLIA have pushed syndicates toward smaller regional airports, which accounts for the recent run of cases at secondary hubs, Penang included.
Hong Kong Customs also urged travellers to refuse paid offers to carry controlled items and to avoid carrying parcels for strangers, saying mules are often recruited on the promise of quick cash. The department maintains a 24-hour reporting line for suspected trafficking.
Both cases remain before the courts. No charge has been recorded against either man beyond the single trafficking count, and the Malaysian side has yet to name any suspect held over the syndicate links.
