Hong Kong police look for links between 3 seizures of cocaine, that may have washed ashore, after HK$15 million of drug found at weekend

The source added the group searched the surrounding area and found 12 similar parcels, all marked with the same lettering.

One of the hikers, 65, attempted to call the police at around 2.20pm, but failed because of poor reception.

The source said the hikers collected six of the packages and planned to take them to Sai Kung Police Station.

Police later managed to contact the group and took them to the station for questioning. Officers later retrieved the seven packages left at the scene.

Investigators said it was thought the A4-sized packages contained a total of 15kg (33lbs) of cocaine, with an estimated street value of HK$15 million.

A force spokesman said the Narcotics Bureau had taken over the investigation.

A second source said the latest parcels had similar packaging to those found in the earlier cases this month where cocaine was found to have been washed ashore.

Second cocaine haul worth HK$8 million found in sea off Hong Kong beach

The insider said it was too early to say if the hauls were linked, but the waterproof wrapping used suggested potential connections.

But he added it was possible that traffickers dumped the parcels at sea as they evaded authorities.

The source said tracing the shipments through analysis of tide patterns would be difficult.

The latest seizure was the third of cocaine that could have drifted ashore in the city in the space of a few weeks.

A HK$8 million haul of suspected cocaine was discovered floating off Lido Beach in the Ting Kau section of Tsuen Wan on April 9.

Eight slabs of suspected contraband were found inside a plastic container, floating about 10 metres (33 feet) offshore.

Hong Kong police seize HK$19 million in cocaine that washed up on beach

All the packages were sealed in more than 10 black vacuum waterproof bags.

Packages of cocaine worth HK$19 million were found near the shore and a shark prevention net at Chung Hom Kok Beach in Stanley in Southern district on April 4.

Police cordoned off the beach and called in bomb disposal experts because the parcels bore labels that read “TNT” – which could mean the explosive chemical compound trinitrotoluene.

But an examination by police explosive ordnance disposal bureau staff revealed the packages contained 19 slabs of what appeared to be cocaine.

The amount of cocaine seized by police and customs in 2023 increased by 55.8 per cent to 3.5 tonnes, compared with the 2.27 tonnes kept off the streets the year before.