Hong Kong police arrest man, 34, over HK$32 million worth of cannabis hidden in van
- Officers stake out Tsing Yi car park during anti-narcotics operation, ambush man before discovering 119kg of suspected cannabis buds
Hong Kong police have arrested a 34-year-old man after discovering HK$32 million (US$4.4 million) worth of suspected cannabis buds hidden in a delivery van in a New Territories car park.
The force said on Monday that officers had mounted an anti-narcotics operation a day earlier, staking out the Tsing Yi car park after receiving intelligence that had helped them identify the suspect and locate the vehicle used to stash the drug.
Senior Inspector Poon Sung-lai of the Kowloon East crime unit said officers intercepted the man when he approached the van in the car park in the early hours of Sunday.
“Afterwards, police searched the vehicle and confiscated 119kg [262lbs] of suspected cannabis buds. The haul has an estimated street value of HK$32 million,” Poon said.
Police detained the man on suspicion of trafficking in a dangerous drug – an offence punishable by up to life in prison and a HK$5 million fine.
As of Monday afternoon, the suspect was still being held for questioning.
