Hong Kong Police said on Sunday that 13 kg of cocaine worth about 11 million HK dollars (1.4 million US dollars) were seized at the Hong Kong InternationalAirport on July 12.

The Narcotics Bureau of Hong Kong Police have been closely monitoring a transnational drug trafficking syndicate actively employing multinational couriers to smuggle drugs into Hong Kong from the drug sourcing countries.

Acting on intelligence exchanges with the US Drug EnforcementAdministration, officers of the bureau mounted an operation at theairport on Saturday night. A Hong Kong man and an American man aged 26 and 51 respectively were arrested at the arrival hall of the airport.

About 13 kg of cocaine wrapped inside some plastic bags and hidden separately in four containers of milk powder with labels ofbody-building powder were seized in the suitcases of the men.

It is estimated that the cocaine seized could fetch a retail value of 11 million HK dollars if disposed in the market in Hong Kong.

The men, believed to be drug couriers, were arrested for trafficking in dangerous drugs. Investigations by the bureau are continuing.

(Xinhua News Agency July 14, 2008)