Hong Kong officials seize drugs hidden in industrial device

By KANIS LEUNG
Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong customs officials say they seized about 220 pounds of methamphetamine that was hidden inside an industrial device being sent from Mexico. They say part of the device, an electromagnetic separator that removes metal particles from other materials, was hollowed out and contained crystal meth worth an estimated $7.7 million. The opening was discovered when the device was X-rayed after arriving at Hong Kong’s airport. Officers took about four hours to demolish the device layer by layer and found the drugs inside. An airport customs official says the drug seizure was the fourth involving large machines sent from countries in the Americas this year.