Nigerian national Henry Nwaulu, 39, jailed for nearly 10 years for importing meth, heroin from South Africa

A Mount Gambier man who recorded videos showing mounds of meth and details of how his smuggling drug tactics worked has learned his fate.

A Mount Gambier man who used contacts in South Africa and South East Asia to import millions of dollars worth of methamphetamine and heroin into Australia will spend nearly a decade behind bars.

Last Monday, Nigerian national Henry Okechuku Nwaulu was sentenced after importing large quantities of illegal drugs into the country hidden inside baby clothes and books, and electronics.

Nwaulu was arrested in February 2022 after his home and mobile phones were searched by ABF officers and SA Police.

Following an investigation by the Australian Border Force, Nwaulu was charged with three counts of importing a marketable quantity of a controlled drug before a District Court found him guilty of the crimes last October. 

The Nigerian national was arrested by Border Force officers in February 2022. Picture: ABF

The ABF found Nwaulu had been sent two parcels from South Africa which contained more than 500g of methamphetamine.

A third parcel, sent from Laos, was further found to contain about 1kg of heroin concealed in an amplifier system.

In sentencing on Monday, Judge Michael Durrant said Nwaulu was living with his wife and children in Mt Gambier at the time of his offending in 2021 – offending which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years imprisonment or a fine of $1,110,000.

He said the first package, “if cut once and sold in points, would have had a street value of $175,140.”

“Package two contained books, the lining of which concealed 537g of high purity methamphetamine. Uncut and sold in points, its street value was $376,520. If cut once and sold in points, it would have had a street value of $720,500,” Judge Durrant said.

He said the heroin Nwaulu imported could have sold for nearly $4m.

“If cut once and sold in .1g lots, it would have had a street value of about $1,960,400. If cut twice, its value would have been $3,920,800.”

Nwaulu also took 25 lengthy videos of himself handling mounds of methamphetamine in his Mount Gambier home, as well as demonstrations of how he was smuggling the drugs into the country.

Packages containing methamphetamine and heroin intercepted by the Border Force. Picture: ABF

Evidence photos from the drug importation file of Henry Nwaulu. Picture: District Court.

Evidence photos from the drug importation file of Henry Nwaulu. Picture: District Court.

“Another video showed drugs being dried by a fan in bedroom two of your house. Another video showed you running your hands through large quantities of crystallised meth shards,” Judge Durrant said.

“Methamphetamine and heroin cause great harm in the community. They are a scourge which destroys lives.

“I consider you are currently at medium to high risk of reoffending. I am also pessimistic about your prospect of rehabilitation.”

Judge Durrant sentenced Nwaulu to nine years and nine months in prison, with a non-parole period of five years, 10 months and six days.

Nwaulu will be eligible for release in September 2029.

ABF Inspector Steve Garden said the ABF was committed to stopping the flow of harmful drugs at the border to help protect the community from the misery they inevitably cause.

“Whether these illicit drugs come in through our seaports, airports or in the international mail system our officers are at the front line of their detection, regardless of how creatively they are concealed,” Inspector Garden said.

“During the course of the investigation we have worked with closely with our partner agencies, Australian Federal Police and South Australian Police to secure a successful prosecution after the original detections.

“This sentencing outcome reflects this outstanding work of everyone involved.”