Luis Salgado pleads guilty to smuggling cocaine inside shampoo, soup
A teenager who tried to sneak through customs at Sydney Airport with almost 2kg of cocaine in his luggage, including inside shampoo bottles and soup, faces up to 25 years behind bars after pleading guilty.
Southern Courier
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A teenager caught smuggling almost 2kg of cocaine into Sydney in shampoo bottles and soup sachets is facing a possible 25 years behind bars after pleading guilty to drug importation.
Luis Alberto Salgado, from Harrington Park, was just 19 years old when Australian Border Force officers stopped him at Sydney International Airport on February 20 during a return flight from South America.
About 2kg of cocaine was uncovered in his luggage hidden inside three shampoo bottles, a shaving cream can, two bottles of wine and three soup sachets, the agreed facts stated.
Following the drug bust, Salgado spent about two months in custody before being released on bail in April when his parents promised a $300,000 surety.
The 20-year-old appeared back in Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to import marketable quantity of border controlled drug which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years imprisonment.
Two more serious charges were also dropped in court including import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug and possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.
Court documents revealed the graduate of Blacktown’s Patrician Brothers College had spent the majority of his two-week trip in Peru where he has family.
The agreed facts also revealed conversations Salgado had with an associate via WhatsApp while at the airport.
One of the messages sent to Salgado read “stay calm brother”.
“They did an issue with me too when papa went (sic) a toy with a battery ... all they did was take it out of the bag ... calm down brother we are good,” one message from a Julio Salgado read.
“Let me know when you’ve passed all security.”
Salgado remains on bail and will be sentenced in the NSW District Court.
His matter will be mentioned again on September 18.