Man arrested at Sydney Airport after attempting to import 4 kilos of ‘ice’
A 47-year-old man from Cyprus has been arrested and charged at Sydney International Airport after authorities found methamphetamine concealed in the lining of his suitcase.
NSW
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A 47-year-old man from Cyprus has been arrested and charged at Sydney International Airport after authorities found methamphetamine concealed in the lining of his suitcase.
A 47-year-old man from Cyprus has been arrested and charged at Sydney International Airport after authorities found methamphetamine concealed in the lining of his suitcase.
The man was selected for a baggage examination after arriving in Sydney off a flight from Doha, Qatar where officers X-rayed the man’s bag and found inconsistencies in the X-ray image.
Officer located a crystalline substance hidden in the lining of the suitcase which tested positive for the drug methamphetamine known as ‘ice’.
The haul was almost 4 kilograms, with an estimated street value of $3.5m.
Police charged the man with importing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine and he was formally refused bail and remains in custody. He will next appear on 5 December 2018.
Acting Australian Border Force Regional Commander NSW, Tony McSweeney, commended the good work of ABF officers who stopped this illicit drug from hitting the streets.
“ABF officers work tirelessly across our borders to protect the Australian community from these dangerous and destructive drugs,” A/g Regional Commander McSweeney said.
“We know the significant damage “ice” is having on communities around the country, and our officers at the border are committed to stopping drugs like this reaching our kids and destroying families and communities.”
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The AFP’s Acting Sydney Airport Commander Simone O’Mahony said the arrest was another example of the desperate lengths people take to feed Australia’s appetite for illicit drugs.
“The ABF and AFP continue to shut down attempts to bring illegal drugs into Australia,” Detective A/Superintendent O’Mahony said. “This is despite the ever-evolving and creative attempts by criminals.
“We know better than most the importance of keeping these dangerous drugs off our streets and out of our homes. As such, we hope this sends a message to anyone thinking about importing illicit drugs, the odds are not in your favour and the penalties are severe.
“We also want to highlight the community’s role in stopping this illegal trade. In understanding the social and financial impacts of these drugs, as well as the importance of education, I hope that we can kick our country’s drug habit and work together to create a safer Australia.”
This follows a massive drug bust yesterday where enough MDMA to make 1.7 million ecstasy pills was found in meat mincers. Three men — a 24-year-old from Coogee, a Guildford 27-year-old and a 29-year-old from Lidcombe — were arrested over the seizure, worth an estimated $57 million on the street.