Hong Kong police arrest taxi driver with HK$140,000 worth of drugs in his vehicle

Police said the drugs had an estimated street value of HK$140,000.

The taxi driver was detained on suspicion of trafficking in a dangerous drug – an offence punishable by up to life in prison and a HK$5 million fine.

As of Wednesday morning, the suspect was still in custody for questioning.

Officers from Sham Shui Po district’s special duty squad are following up on the case.

Two years ago, police arrested a taxi driver, 61, on suspicion of delivering illegal drugs in the city’s upscale Mid-Levels neighbourhood after officers intercepted his cab on Old Peak Road and seized HK$37,000 worth of cocaine in the vehicle.

In the first five months of this year, the combined seizures of five major illegal drugs – cannabis, cocaine, crystal meth, heroin and ketamine – by police and customs rose by 27 per cent to 4.7 tonnes from 3.7 tonnes over the same period last year.

Authorities confiscated 2.3 tonnes of cannabis between January and May this year, an increase of 246 per cent from 658kg found in the same period in 2023.