The AFP and Australian Border Force (ABF) have thwarted three separate alleged plots to smuggle a total of 103kg of illicit drugs - 77kg of methamphetamine and 26kg of cocaine - into Australia through Melbourne and Sydney airports across a 24-hour period.
Two United Kingdom women, aged 20 and 33, were detained after ABF officers allegedly detected 26kg of cocaine concealed in a suitcase after they arrived at Melbourne Airport from Mexico yesterday (Tuesday, 29 October, 2024).
During the examination, ABF officers located 12 blocks of a white substance wrapped in carbon paper inside one of the passenger's suitcases. It will be alleged that initial testing of the white substance returned a positive result for cocaine.
The matter was referred to the AFP for investigation and officers charged the 33-year-old woman with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) and possessing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, contrary to section 307.5(1) of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
The maximum penalty for both offences is life imprisonment.
The UK national appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court yesterday (29 October) and is expected to appear in court again today (Wednesday, 30 October, 2024).
In a second unrelated incident, AFP officers arrested a New South Wales woman, 21, and a New Zealand woman, 23, at Sydney Airport on Monday (28 October, 2024) after the pair was allegedly caught attempting to smuggle 52kg of methamphetamine into Australia on board a flight from Singapore.
ABF officers conducted a routine baggage examination and allegedly detected 52 packages labelled as Chinese tea, each containing about 1kg of a white substance. It will be alleged that presumptive testing of the substance indicated a positive result for methamphetamine.
The matter was referred to the AFP, with officers charging both women with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth). They appeared in the Downing Centre Local Court yesterday (29 October, 2024) and are expected back in court on 15 January, 2025.
In a third separate incident, a UK-Northern Ireland dual national, 38, was charged for allegedly attempting to smuggle about 25kg of methamphetamine into Australia from Thailand.
ABF officers searched the man's suitcase and bag when he arrived on a flight on Tuesday (28 October) and allegedly located about 25 packages, each containing 1kg of white powder. Preliminary testing returned a positive result for methamphetamine.
AFP officers subsequently arrested and charged the man with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth). He faced the Downing Centre Local Court yesterday (29 October) and is expected to next appear in court on 8 January, 2025.
AFP Superintendent Morgen Blunden said the AFP had identified an increase in alleged drug mules attempting to import illicit drugs through Australian airports in recent months.
"The AFP and its law enforcement partners are closely tracking the rise in drug mules attempting to smuggle illicit drugs into Australia, and each arrest and seizure highlights our strong commitment to tackling this threat," Supt Blunden said.
"If 77kg of methamphetamine and 26kg of cocaine had reached our streets, it had the potential to facilitate more than 900,000 individual street deals. This amount of drugs had a combined estimated street value of more than $80 million and could cause tens of millions of dollars in harm to the Australian community.
"These arrests should send a strong warning to drug couriers attempting to smuggle illicit drugs into Australia – no matter how you try to move your drugs, the AFP, together with our colleagues at ABF, will be waiting for you."
ABF Acting Commander Travel Graeme Campbell said ABF officers were stopping and detecting passengers at airports across the country almost daily.
"Some travellers are seemingly unaware of the life-altering risks of attempting to smuggle large quantities of border controlled drugs into our country – one decision can change the course of your life in an instant," Acting Commander Campbell said.
"This is an immense amount of illicit drugs which our officers have stopped from filtering through to the streets, hundreds of thousands of lives not put at risk due to these dangerous substances.
"Let this be a warning to criminal syndicates looking to exploit travellers entering Australia – ABF officers and our partner agencies are watching you, and we will do whatever we can to disrupt the supply chain."