Malaysian teen held in Hong Kong with RM260k cannabis haul believed to be drug mule

A 19-YEAR-OLD Malaysian man detained at Hong Kong International Airport with three kilograms of cannabis buds believed to be worth around HK$500,000 (RM260,000) is suspected of being recruited as a drug mule by an international syndicate.

Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID) director Datuk Hussein Omar Khan confirmed that the teenager, who is from Sarawak, was arrested by Hong Kong authorities after the drugs were discovered during a customs inspection.

"The 19-year-old man is from Sarawak and arrived at Hong Kong International Airport on July 9," Hussein said in a statement.

He added that checks showed the suspect had no previous criminal record in Malaysia.

"Initial investigations found that the suspect was believed to have been recruited as a drug mule by a syndicate," he said.

Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department officers reportedly discovered the cannabis buds inside the teenager's checked luggage during an inspection after he arrived on a flight from Kuala Lumpur via Singapore on July 9.

The arrest was made as Hong Kong authorities stepped up enforcement efforts against international drug trafficking networks using couriers to transport illegal substances across borders. - July 16, 2026