Although more and more people are buying and reselling drugs from the darknet, smuggling narcotics remains very popular as well. Hong Kong Customs have noticed an increase in the number of drugs being imported and exported as of late. Some of this may have to do with darknet sales, but for now, that has not been confirmed.
Hong Kong Customs Are On High Alert
Comparing the amount of drugs being confiscated by Hong Kong customs throughout the years, the numbers have quadrupled. This is undoubtedly partially thanks to the increasing popularity of the darknet. Sellers will offer narcotics for sale and ship them all over the world, where they are either used or resold by others.
What is rather worrisome is how all other forms of smuggling seem to be on the decline. Drugs represent 78% of all smuggling cases for the year 2016 so far. Despite being vastly understaffed – customers only has 30 employees – the team has sniffed out over 450 drug-related shipments this year alone.
Certain types of drugs will always be more popular than their counterparts. Although multiple shipments containing cocaine and methamphetamine have been seized, they are not the main culprits. Instead, Hong Kong customers have seized over 358 kilograms worth of Gamma-butyrolactone, a common element used in GHB narcotics.
What is rather disconcerting is how vendors are trying to ship the narcotics to their customers. Hiding the materials inside packets of food is becoming the new trend. One package containing seasoning packets for noodles contained over 1 kg of methamphetamine. Chocolate candy pieces are also used to store drugs these days.
While these packages are being picked out and seized, arresting the people involved in these shipments is a different matter entirely. Local laws prohibit police officials from arresting people who do not have either the product or the packet in their physical possession. Anything that is intercepted cannot be used as evidence unless it is delivered to the customer.
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