Two Hong Kong cocaine arrests linked to Penang as police reveal details of first case

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 — A Chinese national arrested in Hong Kong last week with 2kg of suspected cocaine is believed to have obtained the drugs from an unidentified individual at a supermarket in Penang, police said today.

According to Berita Harian (BH), Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the preliminary finding emerged following the arrest of the 25-year-old man by Hong Kong Customs and Excise on October 22.

The suspect had arrived in Hong Kong from Penang on a Cathay Pacific flight when customs officers allegedly discovered the suspected cocaine in his checked luggage.

“Initial investigations found that the suspect obtained the drugs from an unidentified individual at a supermarket in Penang.

“The suspect is believed to have been in Malaysia for three days and was promised a payment of RMB2,000 (about RM1,200) for transporting the drugs,” Hussein told BH.

He said checks showed the suspect’s passport had only been issued this month and that he had no previous travel records.

Police also found that the suspect had made several hotel bookings despite being believed to have spent only a short period in Malaysia.

Hussein said the NCID would continue liaising with Hong Kong authorities to obtain further details on the case, including information on any syndicate members who may be based in Malaysia.

The case is one of two suspected cocaine smuggling cases involving Chinese nationals who arrived in Hong Kong from Penang in recent days. 

Yesterday, Hong Kong Customs announced the arrest of a 39-year-old Chinese man after officers allegedly found 2.2kg of suspected cocaine worth HK$1.3 million in his cabin baggage.