Hong Kong customs arrests 2 women for allegedly smuggling cocaine in their bodies

Hong Kong customs officers have arrested two women at the airport for allegedly smuggling about HK$1.3 million (US$167,378) worth of suspected cocaine in pellets by concealing them within their bodies.

Officers of the Customs and Excise Department said on Tuesday two female passengers, aged 46 and 42, aroused suspicion during immigration clearance after they arrived from Entebbe, Uganda via Doha, Qatar on the weekend.

The women were escorted to the hospital for examination after their arrival on Sunday. Medical personnel confirmed the presence of foreign objects in their bodies and arrested them on the spot.

As of 2pm on Tuesday, they had discharged 115 pellets of suspected cocaine weighing about 1.5kg (3.3lbs) in total, with an estimated street value of about HK$1.3 million.

Both women were charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug and will appear at West Kowloon Court on Thursday.

The department said it would continue to apply a risk assessment approach to cross-border crimes to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.