Man held at Macau airport smuggling 800 g cannabis in 3 sneakers
Macau's Judiciary Police arrested a 49-year-old local clerk at Macau International Airport after he flew in from Bangkok with 800 grams of cannabis buds and cannabis-oil e-cigarettes hidden in three pairs of sneakers. Police valued the haul at about MOP803,000 and referred him to prosecutors on trafficking, drug-use and utensil charges.
Macau’s Judiciary Police arrested a 49-year-old local resident surnamed Pinho, a
clerk, for smuggling cannabis from Bangkok hidden in three pairs of sneakers.[1]Officers approached the flight from Thailand at Macau International Airport
under a risk-management screening and intercepted him for a luggage check at
6:40 p.m. on Saturday, 25 January 2025.[2]
In his backpack officers found three old sneakers packed with the drug wrapped
in shopping bags and cling film, and three e-cigarettes containing cannabis oil.[3]The haul weighed 800 grams in all and was made up of 10 packets of cannabis
buds plus the three oil e-cigarettes.[1]Police said the cannabis had an
estimated street value of 803,000 patacas.[1]A search of his flat in Taipa
turned up nine packs of rolling papers.[1]
Pinho refused to cooperate with questioning but tested positive for cannabis
use, and the Chinese-language accounts say a urine test confirmed it.[3]The
investigation into where the cannabis came from continues.[2]
Photos and video
Cannabis buds, cannabis oil e-cigarettes, drug paraphernalia and three pairs of sneakers displayed as seized evidence at Judiciary Police headquarters. Photo: William ChanPhoto details
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Source: The Macau Post DailyJudiciary Police officers escort the drug-trafficking suspect to a police vehicle outside the PJ headquarters in Zape. Photo: William ChanPhoto details
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Source: The Macau Post DailyOld sneakers used to hide the cannabis carried from Thailand into Macau.Photo details
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Source: 正報 (Cheng Pou)Cannabis buds and cannabis e-cigarettes seized by the Judiciary Police, valued at about MOP803,000.Photo details
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Source: 正報 (Cheng Pou)The local man arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking outside the airport arrival hall.Photo details
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Source: 華僑報 (Va Kio Daily)Cannabis found inside the old sneakers the suspect brought in from Thailand.Photo details
The article dates the interception to "Saturday" at 6:40 p.m.; the Chinese-language reports give 25 January 2025, which is used as the incident date.
The weight of 800 grams is the police figure for the cannabis buds and oil together; no separate weight was published for the three e-cigarettes.
The street value of MOP803,000 is the police estimate, and the Chinese-language reports round it to "more than MOP800,000".
Police said the suspect is a Macau resident aged 49 but did not reveal his nationality; he is identified only by the surname Pinho.
No court outcome was reported; he was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office for investigation.
Left out, as its quotation was not found in 正報 (Cheng Pou): He was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office on charges of drug trafficking, drug use and improper possession of utensils or equipment.
Left out agency types, as its quotation was not found in 正報 (Cheng Pou).
Left out case stage, as its quotation was not found in 正報 (Cheng Pou).
Left out charges, as its quotation was not found in 正報 (Cheng Pou).
Judiciary Police arrested a 32-year-old Malaysian woman at Macau airport after customs found 12 bags holding 6.7 kg of cannabis in her luggage. Police valued the haul at 6.7 million patacas and said a trafficking syndicate hired her to carry it via Macau to a neighbouring region.
Judiciary Police arrested two local men, a driver aged 29 and a maintenance technician aged 27, in Macau's northern district on 2 March 2026 and found 3.06 grams of cannabis buds split between a flat and a motorcycle helmet box. Both tested positive for drugs, police valued the cannabis at about 3,000 patacas, and prosecutors received them on trafficking, drug-use and paraphernalia charges.
Judiciary Police arrested a Hong Kong woman at Macau airport after customs found 17.371 kg of marijuana buds wrapped in foil in her luggage, valued at about MOP17 million. Police said a trafficking gang recruited her and that onward transshipment through Macau was still being investigated.
Macau's Judiciary Police arrested an 18-year-old Malaysian man at the airport on 2 December 2025 and seized 12 vacuum-sealed packets of cannabis buds weighing 6,279 grams, valued by police at 6.27 million patacas. Police said a Malaysian group recruited him to carry the drugs from Thailand via the Philippines and planned to move them on to Hong Kong.
