Hong Kong police said they smashed a ring of international drug traffickers on Tuesday, arresting three men and confiscating US$16.3 million worth of cannabis in the territory's largest seizure of narcotics.
Sin Kam-wah, acting chief superintendent of the police Narcotics Bureau, told a news conference police seized 1,951 kg (4,301 pounds) of cannabis after investigating the syndicate and exchanging intelligence with Thai drug enforcement officials.
"The cannabis was believed to be originating either from the Golden Triangle or Cambodia," Sin said. The "Golden Triangle" is the region where the borders of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos meet.
The drug was believed to be meant for distribution in south China, Macau and Hong Kong, and could fetch about HK$126.8 million in the local market, Sin added.
Police seized 309 kg (682 pounds) of cannabis from a lorry that drove into an ambush laid by authorities in a carpark early on Tuesday. The lorry was accompanied by a private car.
Police arrested the lorry driver and his passenger, both aged 35, as well as the car driver, aged 34, for trafficking in dangerous drugs, but gave no details of their identity.
Police said in a statement they later seized 1,642 kg of cannabis from a motorised vessel, but did not say how they were led to it.
Late on Tuesday, the three men were still being detained by the Narcotics Bureau for enquiries.
(China Daily 04/25/2001)
