Ice syndicates import 150kg meth haul into Sydney via post

The Australian Border Force has revealed hundreds of parcels intercepted in the past six months contained methamphetamine but it’s the items the drugs were contained in that are keeping authorities on their toes.

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Hundreds of parcels of ice have been smuggled through the mail in NSW in the past six months alone, according to new figures from the Australian Border Force.

Criminals are attempting to stash their wares in everything from baby and laundry products to car parts, authorities say.

More than 10,000 parcels have been searched and hundreds totalling almost 150kg seized nationally in the past six months to December 2019, police say, with the majority landing in Sydney.

Drug dealers are attempting to stash the drug ice in seemingly innocuous products from baby products to car parts. Here drugs were found smuggled in tubs labelled as a beauty product. Picture: ABF

Drug dealers are attempting to smuggle methamphetamine through the post by concealing the product as beauty or laundry products. Picture: ABF

Many of these parcels are sent through aliases like innocent overseas agents – often from China – to mask the identity of the original dealer, who usually operates through the dark web.

The drugs are being sent from a range of countries from Latin America to China and landing in suburbs all across Sydney, police say.

Border officials have been targeting the criminal activity with parcel scanners and detector dogs.

The worrying trend comes as a two men are arrested over the alleged importation of one kilogram of ice in a concrete slab bound for Sydney from Mexico.

More than 150 kilograms of methamphetamine was found concealed in a shipment of silver concentrate that was intercepted in January. Supplied by Victoria Police

A 26-year-old Canadian-French national and a 34-year-old Sydney man were arrested on Saturday over the find.

The dual national has since been hit with multiple charges for the alleged importation of the drug.

The raids have led to a total of five people being arrested nationally.

AFP detective Robert Jenner said criminals are employing new “scattergun” methods of smuggling drugs in a bid to escape the attention of authorities and avoid losing large shipments.

Almost 150kg of methamphetamine has been found in the post in NSW in the past six months alone. Source: ABF

But this new method of importation hasn’t escaped the attention of police, who this week raided 15 homes and undertook 14 door knocks across NSW in a “joint attack” on drug importation between commonwealth and state law enforcement.

Superintendent Gary Lowe from the Australian Border Force said criminals are sending the drugs in everything from beauty products to toys and motor parts.

“This really highlights the steps some of these syndicates will take to try to smuggle smaller amounts they think we won’t be targeting but this is a strong message to these groups.”

A 26-year-old Canadian-French dual national has been charged after allegedly importing more than 150 kilograms of methamphetamine from Mexico into Australia. AAP Image/Supplied by Victoria Police

Police say it is unclear whether one drug ring or multiple are responsible for the imports.

AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Michael Cook sent a staunch message to dealers attempting to smuggle small amounts of drugs through the mail.

“We are targeting the importation of meth at all levels down to 0.2 gram through to hundreds of kilograms.

“The co-ordinated efforts over the week of action show that there’s nowhere to run and nowhere to hide if you are using postal services to supply prohibited drugs.”