Hong Kong Customs officers have arrested three people after busting the city’s largest-ever seaborne drug trafficking case involving cannabis buds with an estimated market value of HK$125 million ($15.93 million).

They detained two Hong Kong suspects and a Vietnamese national after confiscating 535 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds at the Kwai Chung Customhouse cargo examination compound.

The cannabis buds were found inside a 40-foot seaborne container declared as carrying insulated boxes that arrived from Thailand.

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Officers inspected the container after a risk assessment and intelligence analysis. They found 1,342 insulated boxes inside, including 364 boxes concealing about 535kg of suspected cannabis buds packed in vacuum bags.

Subsequent operations led to the arrests of the suspects, aged 21 and 47, in Mong Kok on Sept 17.  A 44-year-old Vietnamese man, who tried to collect the consignment, was detained the same day.

The two local men have been released on bail pending further investigation, while the Vietnamese national was charged with one count of attempting to traffic in a dangerous drug.

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The case will be heard at Kowloon City Magistrates Courts on Monday.

Trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offense carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a fine of HK$5 million.