Auburn man Sinnadoria Sina Asari charged with importing heroin into Brisbane from Malaysia

A Sydney man has been charged over the second largest shipment of heroin detected on Australian shores – with an estimated street value of $268.8m – after he allegedly drove the load to a Mt Druitt warehouse.

A western Sydney man has been charged after police tracking Australia’s second largest heroin shipment – with a street value of $268.8m, burst in to a Mt Druitt warehouse where the drugs were allegedly being unloaded.

A western Sydney man has been charged after police uncovered the second largest heroin shipment ever detected in Australia, with an estimated street value of $268.8m, in Queensland.

Sinnadoria Sina Asari, 55, of Auburn, appeared before Mt Druitt Local Court on Wednesday charged with importing and attempting to possess a commercial quantity of heroin – both with a maximum penalty of life behind bars.

Officers from Australian Border Force and the AFP first intercepted the shipment when it arrived at the Port of Brisbane from Malaysia on March 13, containing two concrete blocks weighing about a tonne.

AFP investigators drilled into the concrete blocks and removed 960 packages, each containing about 350g of what is believed to be heroin. In total, police uncovered 336kg of the highly controlled substance.

After removing the heroin, officers released the package – which was marked as being solar panel accessories, and allowed it to continue to the intended recipient at Brendale on March 28.

he second largest shipment of heroin ever detected in Australia was intercepted inside a shipment sent from Malaysia to the Port of Brisbane. Picture: Dan Peled

Sydney man Sinnadoria Asari, who allegedly collected the consignment in Brisbane and transported it to NSW, was arrested and charged following a joint AFP and Australian Border Force operation. Picture: AFP

A few days later, police will allege Asari used a rented truck to collect the package before crossing the QLD — NSW border and delivering it to a warehouse in Mt Druitt on Thursday.

Laying in wait, police watched while Asari returned to the warehouse the following day and allegedly used industrial tools to cut into the concrete and access the heroin hidden inside the display stands it will be alleged.

AFP investigators drilled into the concrete blocks and removed 960 packages, each containing about 350g of what is believed to be heroin. In total, police uncovered 336kg of the highly controlled substance. Picture: Australian Federal Police

Police also allegedly seized jewellery worth an estimated $700,000 from Asari’s Auburn home, as well as electronic devices. Picture: Australian Federal Police

He was arrested after leaving the warehouse a short time later.

AFP investigators launched a series of searches of homes and businesses in NSW and QLD, including at Brendale and Mt Druitt, as well as Blacktown, Auburn, Cecil Park, and Constitution Hill.

Police allegedly seized jewellery worth about $700,000 from Asari’s home, as well as electronic devices.

Items seized from other locations include mobile phones, cash, hard drives, notebooks, and other parts of the reconstructed consignment.

Appearing from Mt Druitt court, lawyer Mohamed Bejjaoui did not apply for Asari’s release.

The 55-year-old will remain at Parklea Correctional Centre, after being formally refused bail.

He will appear before Penrith Local Court on June 2.

AFP claim the 336kg seizure is the second largest onshore detection of heroin in Australian law enforcement history, following a 450kg heroin haul seized by AFP and AFB officers in Melbourne in 2021.