Hong Kong jails first person for possession of CBD products after woman arriving from US caught with drugs
- Bui Yvan Nguyen sentenced to two months in jail after arriving in city with illegal substances in luggage
- Customs welcomes sentence, saying it reflects seriousness of charge and serves as clear warning to public
Hong Kong secured its first conviction over possession of cannabidiol (CBD) on Friday, handing a two-month jail sentence to a 32-year-old woman who arrived in the city from the US carrying the banned substance, ketamine and drug paraphernalia in her luggage.
When Bui Yvan Nguyen arrived at the Hong Kong International Airport on March 29, her luggage was searched by customs officers, who found two bottles containing the active ingredient of CBD, 2.2 grams of ketamine concealed in a glass container and 10 syringes.
She was arrested and the government laboratory later confirmed about 5g of CBD was present in two bottles of personal care products, while the other drug seized was ketamine.
Nguyen was sentenced to two months imprisonment by West Kowloon Court on Friday.
The Customs and Excise Department welcomed the sentence.
“The custodial sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and serves as a clear warning to the general public,” it said.
As more visitors came to the city following the reopening of the borders, the department would apply a risk-assessment approach and select passengers from certain regions for screening, it said.