Customs officials at Hong Kong International Airport made a surprising discovery when they found 11 kilograms of suspected cocaine concealed in an electric wheelchair’s cushions.
The drugs, valued at around $1.5 million (£1.26 million), were uncovered during a customs check on a 51-year-old man arriving from Sint Maarten in the Caribbean, via Paris.
The man has been arrested and could face a life sentence if convicted of drug trafficking.
The investigation began when customs officers became suspicious of the electric wheelchair, which the man had brought as one of his two checked baggage items.
Upon closer examination, they found that the seat cushion and backrest had been re-stitched, leading to the discovery of the hidden drugs.
The man, who is not a Hong Kong resident and has mobility issues, claimed that the wheelchair had been loaned to him by a friend and that he was the director of a car rental company.
As a response to this discovery, customs officials have announced plans to increase checks on travelers from regions considered at high risk for drug trafficking.
In 2022, customs checks detected 931 cases involving dangerous drugs, up from the previous year’s 906 cases, leading to the arrest of 178 individuals on related charges.
This incident is not the first time drugs have been found concealed in a wheelchair at an airport.
In November, New York officials seized $450,000 worth of cocaine hidden in the wheels of a woman’s wheelchair.
Similarly, in September 2022, Italian authorities discovered nearly $1.6 million worth of cocaine hidden in the upholstery of a motorized wheelchair in Milan.
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