Hong Kong arrests two after Thailand flight with cannabis

Hong Kong Customs has arrested two air passengers who travelled from Bangkok via Manila after officers found about 21 kilogrammes of cannabis in their checked baggage at Hong Kong International Airport.

The arrests were made on July 16. The travellers, a 50-year-old Chinese man and a 19-year-old Malaysian man, have each been charged with trafficking the drug.

Customs said one passenger was carrying about 10kg of cannabis, estimated to be worth 1.9 million yuan. Officers found a further 11kg, valued at around 2 million yuan, in the other passenger's luggage.

Court appearance scheduled

The two accused are now scheduled to appear before Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts. Hong Kong Customs has described drug trafficking as a serious offence. The maximum punishment under Hong Kong law is life imprisonment and a fine of 5 million yuan.

The authorities said they have recently intercepted several inbound passengers allegedly attempting to smuggle cannabis into Hong Kong, with many of those travellers arriving from Thailand.

Thailand departures face stricter export controls

For foreigners, tourists and expats flying out of Thailand, the case is a reminder that cannabis rules at the destination and during any transit stop are what matter once they leave the country.

Thai officials have repeatedly warned travellers not to take cannabis or other controlled goods out of Thailand in breach of export controls. This applies even where travellers may have bought the products legally in Thailand, and includes items placed in checked luggage.

Passengers travelling through another jurisdiction should also remember that their bags may be subject to customs scrutiny at each stage of their journey. In this case, the two men travelled from Bangkok through Manila before reaching Hong Kong.

Hong Kong authorities did not say whether the alleged cannabis had originated in Thailand. The case concerns the passengers' arrival in Hong Kong after their journey from Bangkok via the Philippines.

Picture courtesy of Hong Kong Customs

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20 July 2026

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