Filipino cleared of attempting to traffic liquid cocaine

 

Customs display of what it called record seizure of liquid cocaine (photo from Jan 15, 2024)

An unemployed Filipino walked free today after prosecutors at West Kowloon Court withdrew a charge against him of attempting to traffic what was originally believed to be 444 kilos of liquid cocaine, the biggest to be seized in Hong Kong.

Aster Leo Balucanag, 38 years old, had earlier been charged by the Customs and Excise Department with violation of sections 4 (1) (a) and (3) of the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance and section 159G of the Crimes Ordinance.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offense. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

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Balucanag was arrested on Jan. 13 last year and accused of attempting to traffic in a dangerous drug on Dec. 11 to 19, 2023. 

The drug was originally described as 444 kilos of liquid cocaine but crossed out from the charge sheet pending confirmation by the Government Laboratory.

It was not clear why the amount of the drug used to charge him had been crossed out but it would appear that the chemical tests failed to affirm the drug content of the liquid substance linked to the arrest

The accused was arrested along with a 50-year-old transportation company owner in a controlled. operation, after the suspected liquid cocaine was seized on Dec. 19, 2023 from a 20-foot seaborne container, declared as carrying wine and grape juice.

A Customs press release issued on Jan 15, 2024 said 148 packages of suspected liquid cocaine packed in transparent liquid bags were found inside 37 out of 706 carton boxes of wine.

The haul, with an estimated market value of about $490 million, was said to represent a record seiure of liquid cocaine. 

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Meanwhile, a Filipina recognizance card holder was returned to jail after her case of fighting in a public place was adjourned to March 19 at Eastern Court.

Mari Miriam Manrique, 40 years old, was charged with taking part in a fight inside a subway at 1 Wong Nai Chung Road in Happy Valley last Feb. 15, in violation of the Public Order Ordinance.

Her male opponent, Chiu Chun-long, 48 years old, was not called to today’s hearing.

Basahin ang detalye!

In a similar case at Kowloon City Court, Filipino salesman Maciste Cobarrubias and Chinese taxi-driver Cheng Chun-yan were allowed to post bail of $500 each after their case was adjourned to April 16.

Cobarrubias, 44 years old, and Cheng, aged 51, were accused of fighting each other on July 20 last year outside Hung Hom Bay Center on Baker St. in Hung Hom.

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