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A Chinese national, 39, was arrested at Hong Kong International Airport on 26 October for allegedly smuggling 2.2kg of suspected cocaine on a flight from Penang.

Customs officers reportedly found the drugs in the man’s cabin luggage. The drug haul has an estimated market value of about RM700,000 (HKD$1.3 million).

The suspect has since been charged with one count of drug distribution. Under Hong Kong law, drug distribution carries a life imprisonment sentence and a RM2.6 million (HK$5 million) fine upon conviction.

Hong Kong Customs said it will continue ramping up anti-drug efforts using intelligence-sharing, risk-based operations and surveillance, with extra checks on passengers from high-risk locations to disrupt cross-border trafficking.

This marks the second drug smuggling case tied to a Penang-to-Hong Kong flight in recent days, coming after a 25-year-old Chinese man was detained on Thursday (22 October). The 25-year-old was caught carrying 2kg of suspected cocaine in his checked-in luggage.

The 25-year-old suspect is believed to have been in Malaysia for three days and was promised a payment of about RM1,200 (RMB2,000) for transporting the drugs. Police also discovered that the suspect made several hotel bookings despite spending only a short time in Malaysia.

Bukit Aman’s Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) will keep working with its Hong Kong counterparts to obtain further details, particularly on any syndicate members who may be based in Malaysia.

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Malaysian Airports as a Drug Export Route

Between January and 15 October, police busted 77 drug mule cases at KLIA alone. Those cases led to 93 arrests and the seizure of over 2.5 tonnes of drugs, valued at RM202.76 million.

The money involved has also grown fast. Total KLIA seizures rose from RM18.4 million in 2023 to well over RM100 million in 2026.

Syndicates aren’t relying only on local couriers. British nationals top the arrest list at KLIA with 26 people, followed by Malaysians (23) and Singaporeans (11). Other international passport holders make up the rest.

The reason for the shift is simple. Airport security at KLIA has tightened, with near-daily busts, so NCID director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan says syndicates are moving to smaller regional airports to avoid the scrutiny. That explains the recent run of arrests at secondary hubs, including the Penang-to-Hong Kong cases.

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