Five people have been arrested on suspicion of trafficking quantities of cannabis and cocaine worth HK$23.5 million (US$3 million) into Hong Kong, with most of them to be charged on Monday, police have revealed.

Senior Inspector Ho Ho-ting of the narcotics bureau said the force had cracked down on a dangerous drug syndicate operating in Yuen Long and Sha Tin on Friday.

The suspects comprised four men and one woman, aged 32 to 70, with the group believed to include the ringleader and several core members, he added.

Ho said the force’s investigations had uncovered a drug syndicate that had mailed 150 packs of cannabis buds with a combined weight of 102kg (225lbs) from Canada to Hong Kong and had declared the goods as industrial vacuum cleaners.

“In an operation on Friday, we followed the delivery of the goods, which were delivered to Yuen Kong San Tsuen in Kam Tin,” he said.

“Two men unwrapped the goods, in which cannabis buds were hidden. We stopped and arrested them immediately on suspicion of trafficking dangerous drugs.”

The senior inspector only identified the pair as two men surnamed Yeung, aged 48, and Lau, 55.