Customs arrest 3 over smuggled drugs, injections

Customs officers have arrested three people and seized HK$40 million worth of slimming and cosmetic injections, as well as pharmaceutical products, in two operations targeting smuggled goods. The Customs and Excise Department on Tuesday said the medicines impounded across the two smuggling cases included antidepressants, medication for Parkinson's disease, and antidiabetic drugs. "Most of the items seized were suspected pharmaceutical products, weight-loss injections, and cosmetic injections. Some were also labelled to contain Part 1 poisons," said senior investigator Leung Chi-hang. "Members of the public are urged to refrain from purchasing, taking or injecting any shots or medications of unknown origin." In one case, officers confiscated smuggled goods totalling HK$35 million bound for Macao from a river trade vessel in March. Among the items seized were more than 26,000 injections, over 4.1 million pieces of suspected pharmaceutical products, and 7kg of cigars. Earlier this month, officers also raided a store in Sheung Shui and impounded about 5,600 injections and around 30,000 tablets for diabetes. Officers would continue to look into the source and the final destination of such goods, Leung said, adding that the department did not rule out making further arrests. Edited by Thomas McAlinden