Officials at Hong Kong International Airport have uncovered 11 kilograms of suspected cocaine concealed within the padding of an electric wheelchair. The value of the seized narcotics is estimated at $1.5 million (£1.26 million).

This discovery was made during customs clearance on Saturday when a 51-year-old man, arriving from the Caribbean country of Sint Maarten via Paris, was apprehended.

The individual has been arrested and, if found guilty of drug trafficking, could potentially face a life sentence. Customs officials became suspicious and initiated a more thorough examination after noting irregularities in the wheelchair's seat cushion and backrest.

The suspect, who is not a Hong Kong resident and has mobility impairments, claimed to be the director of a car rental company and stated that the wheelchair had been lent to him by a friend.

An investigation into the incident has been initiated. In response to this discovery, customs officials have announced plans to intensify scrutiny of visitors from "high-risk regions" in order to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

According to their latest statistics, the number of cases detected in customs checks involving dangerous drugs in 2022 was 931, up from 906 the previous year. Some 178 people were arrested over related offenses last year.

It is not the first time that drugs have been found hidden in a wheelchair at an airport. In November, officials in New York seized $ 450,000 worth of cocaine found in the wheels of a woman's wheelchair.

In September 2022, nearly $ 1.6m worth of cocaine was found stuffed into the upholstery of a motorized wheelchair in the Italian city of Milan.

Too bad