HONG KONG -- Hong Kong police said Tuesday they had made the second largest heroin bust on record, seizing 925 pounds of the drug with an estimated street value of $420 million.
The heroin, classified as No. 4 'China White,' was believed destined for the United States or Australia, police said.
The consignment hidden in 30 travel bags was uncovered Monday afternoon in a raid on an abandoned house near Sai Kung in the northern district of the colony.
Two men and two women, all Chinese, were arrested in connection with the seizure following a four-day investigation involving more than 100 officers.
Two automatic pistols, two radio scaners which police said were used for monitoring police radio traffic, and a car and a van were also confiscated.
Investigators were still hunting three other men involved with the consignment, which police believe originated in Thailand and was smuggled into Hong Kong on a fishing boat.
Hong Kong's Chief Staff Officer of Narcotics, Tsang Yam-Pui, said police investigators believe the top people operating the drug ring were still at large and were probably not in the territory.
'We have made contact with our counterparts in Thailand, the United States, Canada and Australia for assistance in the investigation,' he said.
Tsang said Hong Kong narcotics officials believe the drug was bound for U.S. or Australian markets because it was a higher grade than that used by local addicts. He said it was 95 percent pure.
Officials said the largest seizure of heroin was 2,400 pounds found in Jan. 1988 aboard a container ship off Thailand, bound for the United States.
