International drug smuggling is a huge industry. Drugs are smuggled in a variety of ways, using boats, planes, cars, trains, and more. Over the years, smugglers have gotten savvier, so here’s the latest example of someone getting caught while trying to carry drugs on a passenger flight.
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Electric wheelchair containing 11kg of cocaine arrives at HKG
Hong Kong’s Customs and Excise Department has announced details of its latest bust at the airport, as a traveler was discovered to have been traveling with 11 kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $1.5 million.
On Saturday, October 14, 2023, a 51-year-old man landed at Hong Kong International Airport, having arrived from the Caribbean. Specifically, he flew from Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten (SXM), to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), and then connected to Hong Kong.
The man was clearing customs at the airport, and one of his two checked pieces of baggage was an electric wheelchair. Staff became suspicious when they found evidence that the seat cushion and backrest had been re-stitched, so they took a closer look. After opening up the stitching, officers discovered the cocaine inside the stitching.
The man, who had mobility issues, told officers that the wheelchair had been loaned to him by a friend for his trip. The man has been arrested, and potentially faces life in prison if found guilty.
Following this discovery, officials stated that they would increase baggage checks on visitors arriving from high-risk regions.
I sort of feel bad for these kinds of smugglers
Gosh, I don’t know how many episodes of “Locked Up Abroad” I’ve seen over the years, but I can’t help but feel bad for some of the stories that people share. You’re only going to be able to do something like this so many times before you get caught and are locked up for a long time, and often people get caught the first time that they do this.
I’ve seen so many stories of people who were just in really crappy situations and at a low point in their life, and somehow got talked into smuggling drugs, often not even fully aware of what they were carrying.
That’s of course not at all an excuse, and the issue is that the drugs that many people transport have horrible impacts on other peoples’ lives, and there needs to be some accountability or punishment to deter this kind of behavior. So many people tragically die from drug overdoses, and that’s obviously only possible due to the people who make the movement of this possible.
But still, for the most part these aren’t evil people, they’re just folks who are in a bind, and don’t fully consider the implications of what they’re doing, and how it impacts and enables others. I imagine this 51-year-old will have quite some time to reflect on his decision…
Bottom line
On Saturday, customs officers at Hong Kong Airport stopped a passenger who was carrying an electric wheelchair. After noticing that the wheelchair had been tampered with, they discovered that there was 11kg of cocaine inside the leather, with a value of $1.5 million.
What do you make of this cocaine smuggling story?
Who is the "friend: that loaned him the chair?
To those who suggest that legalization of illicit drugs is the solution obviously are clueless of the consequences of drugs. They should read how opium affected China-opium that Britain flooded China in the early 20th century. The king's mother was so addicted to it when running the country when her son was immature and fearful of her to fulfill his responsibilities. After the dynasty collapsed, China was closed to the world for many decades and...
To those who suggest that legalization of illicit drugs is the solution obviously are clueless of the consequences of drugs. They should read how opium affected China-opium that Britain flooded China in the early 20th century. The king's mother was so addicted to it when running the country when her son was immature and fearful of her to fulfill his responsibilities. After the dynasty collapsed, China was closed to the world for many decades and was a weak and poor country until 1980s. Today, 2/3 of US population is stoned including white collar professionals, high ranking government officials, law enforcement down to the bottom social class of society. The law goes after the traffickers not consumers and that is no solution because if " there is no demand there won't be supply". You should watch the show "Trafficked" on National Geographic channel documented by Mariana van Zeller. Number one journalist in my opinion. She covers everything on drugs, counterfeit money, dirty oil revenues, etc.. Exceptional educational.
First, how wasn't he detected at SXM or even better for him at CDG??
Second, in my opinion just like some others mentioned, just legalize all that stuff. No one is obligated to use any kind of drugs, would stop the illegal smuggling and undoubtedly decrease the costs of the stuff together with all judicial costs that come along and that every taxpayer like me have to pay for it.
And then just...
First, how wasn't he detected at SXM or even better for him at CDG??
Second, in my opinion just like some others mentioned, just legalize all that stuff. No one is obligated to use any kind of drugs, would stop the illegal smuggling and undoubtedly decrease the costs of the stuff together with all judicial costs that come along and that every taxpayer like me have to pay for it.
And then just tax it as is with alcohol, cigarettes, and so on. Good for the users, the State and all taxpayers.
In the meantime I feel the need for a nice glass of wine and a smoke.
I like your reference to the TV program 'Locked up Abroad' Lucky.
I love watching it and if there is one common trait amongst international drug smugglers - they rarely get caught the first, or second, or third time. It seems most start by smuggling a small amount of drugs successfully. Easy actually. And in one week they earn what they would in five or six months in a regular minimum wage job. So,...
I like your reference to the TV program 'Locked up Abroad' Lucky.
I love watching it and if there is one common trait amongst international drug smugglers - they rarely get caught the first, or second, or third time. It seems most start by smuggling a small amount of drugs successfully. Easy actually. And in one week they earn what they would in five or six months in a regular minimum wage job. So, they accept more and more runs with larger and larger quantities until eventually and inevitably they are caught.
I bet this isn't this guys first rodeo.
The guy really took the Go Big Or Go Home motto to heart.
The War on Drugs is a complete disaster. For every kilo of cocaine that is caught, hundreds of kilos made it through. The real solution is to decriminalize all drugs and to treat drug abuse as a health issue, which it is, instead of as a criminal issue, which burdens our justice system and frays our society.
On one hand I hear you. On the other hand wouldn’t the US end like a big San Francisco?
What, with average house with $1mm and a very competitive economy? Wait, HK is already there
They are decriminalised in Portugal.
Here it could be that drug traffickers targeted someone with a disability, or it could be he knows what he was doing and thought he could get away with it because “ no one would check a wheelchair”.
What a foolish and nonsensical comment. Just decriminalize everything then. Everything is relative and there is no right or wrong. Absolutely 1rong! When happens when you decriminalize, you end up with San Francisco! I live in the SF Bay Area. Have you see SF????!!! What a DISASTER that is happening. Open drug use and you have zombies everywhere! Yeah what a society that has become. NOW THAT IS A FRAYED SOCIETY. Not a society in which drugs are prohibited.
Yeah, the "war on drugs" has been a massive waste of taxpayer dollars on the justice system and locking up non-violent offenders in expensive jails. Uruguay and Portugal have seen success by decriminalization, and others should follow suit. Spend the money normally wasted on court rooms and prisons to rehabilitate the offenders and help them find employment.
Singapore seems to have gotten the drug problem under control.
Yes, you do need to enforce death penalty for drug traffickers.
Your house has a rat and roach infestation issue. Why waste money on hiring pest control? Those pests are harmless and you can tolerate living with them in harmony.
The city of Vancouver has decriminalized possession of most drugs and supplies some free drugs and a place to consume them.
With over 200 deaths per month, mostly in Greater Vancouver, it is a total disaster.
The city is littered with doped up druggies committing minor or major crimes.
It is one of the largest tent cities in the world.
The free drugs are sold on the street at cheap prices...
The city of Vancouver has decriminalized possession of most drugs and supplies some free drugs and a place to consume them.
With over 200 deaths per month, mostly in Greater Vancouver, it is a total disaster.
The city is littered with doped up druggies committing minor or major crimes.
It is one of the largest tent cities in the world.
The free drugs are sold on the street at cheap prices so the druggies can purchase higher priced and more powerful drugs.
Crime has increased astronomically.
The left wing claim it is working to save lives
The net effect is that areas near drug injection sites are uninhabitable with bodies and crime everywhere. Neighbourhoods with druggies are being destroyed.
Portugal has s system with free drugs BUT they are only released under strict conditions (have to consume at the site of distribution) and all addicts must be under the care of drug rehabilitation care. It seems to work much better.
I mean, it's quite obvious he's guilty but *life in jail* just for drugs? Come on...
I mean it could be worse if you were in the PRC, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia.
And they deserve it for the pain and suffering they bring upon people. This idiot is jolly lucky he didn’t end up in Singapore…
And they deserve it for the pain and suffering they bring upon people. This idiot is jolly lucky he didn’t end up in Singapore…
Ah yes, he arrived in HK and couldn't wait to force everyone to sample his cocaine to bring them pain and suffering.
If you think cocaine causes pain and suffering, you've clearly never used cocaine.
@Mike O. still life in jail, albeit a much shorter one.
If it was in Singapore, China or a number of other countries he'd likely be executed. The countries that have extreme penalties for drug smuggling don't hide the fact they impose extremely harsh punishments if you're caught. Singapore has a giant sign in immigration, as well as on the passenger cards, that says Death to Drug Smugglers...so I kinda have a hard time finding sympathy for those that chance it in these countries.
It’s not “ obvious he’s guilty” at all.
He could have been targeted by smugglers who assumed no one would check a wheelchair.
You assume guilty before innocent.
How about those women whose bags were tampered with in Brazil and they were arrested in Germany ? It was proven they were not complicit and it was bag handlers, yet in your world they were guilty.
Where were the drug sniffing dogs?
High on drugs
Solid take: people that transport 11 kilos of cocaine for money aren’t evil people.
Cocaine OD’s account for 25k deaths per year in the US alone.
How many people die each year from alcohol abuse.
There were approx 43K deaths due to automobiles in 2021 in the US as well... 70+% more than the stat for Cocaine. An estimated 140K people die of alcohol-related causes annually in the US... 460% more.
How many people die each year from sugar abuse.
How many people die each year from nicotine abuse.