Hong Kong blames Canada for 500% uptick in cannabis confiscations

Hong Kong is experiencing a major spike in cannabis confiscated by border services.

The Bangkok Post reports that law enforcement says the amount of the drug confiscated has seen an uptick of 500% since last year.

Authorities blame Canada for the drastic increase, arguing that Canada’s federal legalization of cannabis last year has led to an upsurge in attempts to smuggle the drug into Hong Kong. Officials cited packages of cannabis originating in North America and disguised as snacks as a newly pervasive trend that has surfaced since Canada’s Cannabis Act went into effect.

Officials cited packages of cannabis originating in North America and disguised as snacks as a newly pervasive trend that has surfaced since Canada’s Cannabis Act went into effect.

Last year, Hong Kong customs seized a total of 141kg of cannabis, according to the Customs and Excise Department, with 22.7kg taken in the first three months of the year. During the same period this year, officials seized 137kg of weed, up 500% from the previous year. Most packages contained roughly one to two kg of cannabis.

Most of the packages of cannabis sent to Hong Kong originated from Canada and the U.S. and were intended for sale in local cities.

Critics say that Canada’s move to legalize cannabis last October has changed public perception of the drug in Hong Kong, stimulating demand and leading citizens to believe it to be a safer alternative to other illicit drugs on the market.

Cannabis for medical and recreational consumption is prohibited in Hong Kong, and the related penalties are stiff. Growers are subject to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to HK$100,000, and importing the drug can also lead to jail time.

In 1994, two of the country’s top judges recommended decriminalizing the drug, but the endorsement fell on deaf ears. “Cannabis use is now so widespread that [keeping it illegal] makes people think the law is an ass,” High court Justice Kaplan said at the time. ”I am in favour of its decriminalisation. Otherwise, good citizens find themselves on the wrong side of the law and are alienated.”