Man arrested after 200kg of ice intercepted by ABF, NSW Police

Smiling, alleged drug trafficker Peter Tran flanked by Border Force detectives is escorted through Sydney Airport accused of attempting to smuggle more than $155 million worth of methamphetamine.

Smiling, alleged drug trafficker Peter Tran flanked by Border Force detectives is escorted through Sydney Airport accused of attempting to smuggle more than $155 million worth of methamphetamine.

Police swooped on the 22-year-old Canada Airlines customer services officer after they intercepted an industrial machine stuffed with 200kg of ice.

Beaming as he was marched through terminal 3, Tran was led to a waiting police car and driven off to Mascot Police Station.

Peter Tran was extradited from Victoria to Sydney in relation to a $200 million ice bust. Picture: Bill Hearne.

He was charged with supply prohibited drug (large commercial quantity) and import commercial quantity of border-controlled drug.

Acting on a tip-off from NSW police investigators last month, border police chiefs targeted a container from the USA and allegedly unearthed 200 clip-seal bags containing a white crystalline substance with a total weight of 207kg.

The drugs were stuffed into seven large garbage bags concealed inside a 15-tonne injection moulding machine used to shape plastic.

The drugs seized by border force officers were worth $155 million. Picture: NSW Police

Extensive investigations led AFP police to the 22-year-old man who was arrested after he boarded a Singapore-bound flight at Melbourne International Airport on Sunday.

Detectives travelled to Victoria where they applied to extradite him to NSW yesterday.

Three homes in Ingleburn and Cartwright and a factory in Seven Hills were raided yesterday after search warrants were granted.

Police seized a floor polishing disk at the Ingleburn home with 80g of heroin secreted inside.

They also uncovered 38g of magic mushrooms, 50g of MDMA, a small quantity of LSD, numerous electronic devices and documentation.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said the results of joint investigations have disrupted the activities of an international criminal network.

“Our joint investigations have uncovered an international syndicate and we are arresting their facilitators to impact the top levels of the network,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Smith said.

“The relationship with our partner agencies ensures joint operational activity is cutting into the profits of professional facilitators of crime.”

Peter Tran is led away by border force detectives. Picture: Bill Hearne

ABF Investigations Superintendent Garry Low said the operation is another example of the results being achieved by joint agency co-operation between Australia’s law enforcement agencies.

“Our partnerships and information sharing continue to lead to large detections and significant operational results,” Superintendent Low said.

“We’re not only detecting drugs at the border, we’re smashing the criminal syndicates involved in their importation.

“My message, once again, to anyone thinking of engaging in this type of activity, is reconsider. Our wide range of detection methodologies can pick up a concealment however well-hidden criminals believe it is — and industrial machinery is no exception.”

Tran, from Canley Heights in Sydney's southwest, was refused bail and appeared in court today wearing an Abercrombie and Fitch hoodie.

According to court documents, he allegedly imported and intended to supply 207kg of methylamphetamine between July 30 and August 3 of this year.

Magistrate Robert Williams ordered a brief to be served by October 1 and scheduled the matter for hearing the following day.