Man arrested at airport after swallowing 52 heroin packets

The Judiciary Police (PJ) discovered a drug smuggling attempt at the local airport on Saturday, retrieving 52 packets of heroin totaling 522.2 grams.

The drugs were hidden inside the body of a 29-year-old unemployed Indonesian man, authorities announced at a special press conference yesterday afternoon.

In a press conference yesterday, the PJ said that officers flagged the suspect Saturday morning after he arrived from overseas, acting on suspicious behavior amid heightened screening of incoming passengers to curb air-route trafficking by criminal syndicates.

A body X-ray revealed foreign objects, prompting his transfer to Conde de São Januário Hospital, where he expelled 52 egg-shaped packets later lab-tested as heroin. Authorities estimate the haul was valued at MOP730,000.

Interrogated by police, the man admitted that he was recruited by a trafficking network to swallow the drugs for smuggling into Macau. He stood to earn approximately MOP 12,000 if the run was successful. Moreover, USD551 was found on the suspect’s person, and the funds were confiscated by authorities during the arrest.

The technique, known as “body packing,” involves waterproof pellets concealed internally to evade detection.

The case has now been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office.

Just last week, police also arrested a 20-year-old mainland Chinese man who, upon arrival via an international flight in late January, concealed 4,599 grams of heroin in a hidden compartment in his luggage, with an estimated street value of approximately MOP6.38 million, for a commission of RMB5,000.

The PJ said the suspect was recruited by a drug syndicate to assist in smuggling narcotics from overseas, with payment to be received upon the successful completion of the smuggling operation.

According to the case announcement, the suitcase contained a modified hidden compartment filled with plastic bags emitting pungent chili oil and coffee powder, likely intended to mask the scent of the drugs and deceive drug-sniffing dogs.

The case, including the source and destination of the drugs, whether Macau served as a transit point, and any other individuals involved, remains under thorough investigation, according to the PJ. Law enforcement reaffirmed that drug-related crimes are serious offenses, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, urging the public to remain vigilant and avoid participating in any smuggling activities. Nadia Shaw & Yuki Lei