Two strangers, same Rome flight, 29 kg of ketamine
On the fourth consecutive day of drug seizures at Hong Kong International Airport, two unrelated passengers on the same Rome–HK route were found carrying a combined 29 kg of ketamine — completely independently. A third case from the day before, a Brazilian courier with 2.85 kg of cocaine in a false-bottom suitcase, was announced alongside. Four-day streak total: ~82 kg, 10 arrests. Separately, the Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau raided two booths at the Jewellery & Gem ASIA Hong Kong trade fair on its closing day, seizing 21 counterfeit pieces and arresting four.
Two passengers flew Rome to Hong Kong on June 21. They didn't know each other. One was a 23-year-old Malaysian man, the other a 27-year-old Chinese woman. Between them, they were carrying 29 kilograms of suspected ketamine. 1
That made it four days in a row at Hong Kong International Airport.
The streak: four days, four routes, 82 kg
The pattern started on June 17 with a 50-year-old Japanese man arriving from Amsterdam, 16 kg of ketamine in his checked bag. Then a 50-year-old British man from London on June 18, 26 kg across two suitcases. June 19 added a British man from Amsterdam via London (6 kg ketamine) and a Chinese man from Phuket (5 kg cannabis). By June 21, the four-day total had reached approximately 82 kg of drugs, 10 arrests. 1
Sunday's three cases added three more routes to the list:
| Date | Passenger | Route | Drug | Weight | Value (HK$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 17 | 50-year-old Japanese man | Amsterdam → HK | Ketamine | ~16 kg | — |
| June 18 | 50-year-old British man | London → HK | Ketamine | ~26 kg | — |
| June 19 | 22-year-old British man | Amsterdam → London → HK | Ketamine | ~6 kg | — |
| June 19 | 41-year-old Chinese man | Phuket → HK | Cannabis | ~5 kg | — |
| June 20 | 30-year-old Brazilian man | São Paulo → Doha → HK | Cocaine | 2.85 kg | ~HK$3M |
| June 21 | 23-year-old Malaysian man | Rome → HK | Ketamine | ~25 kg | ~HK$9.5M |
| June 21 | 27-year-old Chinese woman | Rome → HK | Ketamine | ~4 kg | ~HK$1.6M |
The Brazilian case, announced alongside the Sunday seizures, was a June 20 arrest. The 30-year-old had flown in from São Paulo via Doha, and 2.85 kg of suspected cocaine was found in a hidden compartment built into the base of his checked luggage. 1 The compartment was a false bottom: the suitcase was disassembled on the inspection floor, exposing blue-wrapped bricks in the hollow cavity beneath the main packing space, the trolley mechanism and metal panel laid out separately.
The two Rome arrivals are the odder part of the day. Customs described them as independent cases — there is no indication of any connection between the Malaysian man and the Chinese woman. The 23-year-old's suitcase held approximately 25 kg of ketamine (estimated street value HK$9.5 million), packed into 25 translucent vacuum-sealed bags arranged in a dense grid. The 27-year-old's bag contained roughly 4 kg (HK$1.6 million) in three similar bags. Both investigations are ongoing; no charges have been filed in either Rome case. 12
Italy had not appeared in the prior four days' routes — those ran through Amsterdam, London, and Phuket. Rome showing up twice on the same day, with no announced link between the carriers, is the kind of detail that may or may not mean something. Customs has not said.
Fakes at the jewellery fair
A few kilometres away, at the Wan Chai Convention Centre, the Jewellery & Gem ASIA Hong Kong (JGA) trade fair ran June 18 to 21. On the final day, Hong Kong Customs' Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau moved on two exhibitor booths after receiving intelligence that suspected counterfeit and infringing jewellery was being displayed for sale. 3
Rights holders confirmed the items were infringing. Officers seized 21 pieces, estimated at HK$30,000 (~US$3,850), and arrested four people — one man and three women, ages 24 to 50. Two were booth operators, two were staff. The specific brands were not disclosed. 3
Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance and the Copyright Ordinance, maximum penalties run to HK$500,000 and five years' imprisonment on the trade mark side, and HK$50,000 per infringing copy plus four years on copyright. Customs said further arrests are not being ruled out.
Cover image: 25 kg of suspected ketamine from the Rome–HK case, June 21, 2026. HKSAR Government Crown Copyright.
References
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