Customs have made a record ketamine seizure, arresting seven and shutting down a trans-national syndicate.

Some 87.5kgs of high-grade ketamine worth $30 million was seized in a two-day operation ending today. Four Singaporean and three Malaysian men, aged 43 to 50, were arrested for drug trafficking.

About 3pm on March 13, officers intercepted a Malaysian arriving at the airport via India and Singapore. In his baggage, 32 milk powder cans containing 16kgs of ketamine were found.

Three Singaporeans and two Malaysians were then arrested at hotels in Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom, and another 109 milk powder cans containing 54.5kgs of ketamine, and $600,000 in banknotes was seized. Another Singaporean was arrested at the airport the next day and 34 milk powder cans containing 17kgs of ketamine were seized.

Commissioner for Customs & Excise Timothy Tong commended officers' professionalism in cracking the case.

The operation involved intelligence exchange amongst the Customs & Excise Department and Shenzhen and Guangzhou Customs, and co-operation with Singaporean, Malaysian and Indian authorities.

Intelligence has found that an emerging trend of smuggling ketamine into Hong Kong and the Mainland from Southeast Asian countries, particularly Malaysia, but also India. Some 94.7kgs has been seized in Hong Kong this year, up on the mere 4.8kgs seized for all of last year.