A group of hikers stumbled upon a suspicious package marked “VIP” at Nam She Wan, a coastal area known as the “Thousand Streams Coast.” Inside, they discovered white powder, prompting them to search the surroundings, where they uncovered 12 more similar parcels. Despite poor reception hindering their initial attempt to contact the police, the hikers managed to gather six packages and planned to report their find at Sai Kung Police Station. Police subsequently made contact with the group and took them in for questioning, retrieving the remaining seven packages from the scene.
Investigators estimate the A4-sized packages contained a total of 15kg (33lbs) of cocaine, with an estimated street value of HK$15 million. The Narcotics Bureau has taken over the investigation.
A police source noted the similarity in packaging to previous cocaine hauls that washed ashore earlier this month, suggesting potential connections. However, it remains too early to confirm a link. The source added that it is possible traffickers intentionally discarded the parcels at sea to evade authorities, making it challenging to trace the shipments through tide pattern analysis.
This latest seizure marks the third cocaine discovery in Hong Kong in the span of a few weeks. On April 9, a HK$8 million haul of suspected cocaine was found floating off Lido Beach in Tsuen Wan. Eight slabs of suspected contraband were concealed within a plastic container approximately 10 meters (33 feet) offshore, sealed in multiple vacuum waterproof bags.
A more substantial seizure of cocaine worth HK$19 million was made on April 4 at Chung Hom Kok Beach in Stanley. Police cordoned off the area and summoned bomb disposal experts due to labels on the parcels reading “TNT,” potentially indicating the explosive chemical compound trinitrotoluene. However, examination by police explosive ordnance disposal bureau staff revealed the packages contained 19 slabs of what appeared to be cocaine.
The amount of cocaine seized by police and customs in Hong Kong during 2023 has surged by 55.8 percent to 3.5 tonnes, compared to 2.27 tonnes intercepted in the previous year.
