Alexandra Karanfilovski: jury discharged in meth import trial

A jury has been unable to come to a conclusion about whether or not a southern Sydney criminology graduate was involved in a thwarted attempt to import meth worth more than $4 million.

Alexandra Karanfilovski was charged in May 2020 with attempting to import a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.

A jury in the District Court trial of a southern Sydney criminology student accused of being involved in a thwarted attempt to import meth worth more than $4 million has been discharged.

Alexandra Karanfilovski, 25, pleaded not guilty to attempting to import a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug after a police bust in May 2020.

Karanfilovski, her childhood friend Israh Chahine, Chahine’s associate Adam Ayshan and his friend Mohamad Hawchar were all charged with the same offence over the alleged plot.

The Crown alleges Karanfilovski was aware of and complicit in a plot to import 4.216kg of methamphetamine – or the drug ice – secreted in a box of ration packs from Orange County in California.

It is not disputed the package – intercepted by Australian Border Force officers and substituted with a dummy substance – was addressed to Chahine and sent to Karanfilovski’s address.

Karanfilovski at court. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

But Karanfilovski has pleaded not guilty on the basis she says she was unaware of what the package contained until it was already on its way to her Arncliffe home, and that she was later told it was only human growth hormone.

A permit is required to import human growth hormone but it does not fit the definition of a border-controlled drug or the offence with which Karanfilovski stands charged.

A jury had deliberated for four days after Karanfilovski’s counsel Tom Hughes and barrister for the Crown Robert Armitage gave closing arguments.

On Thursday afternoon, the foreman advised Judge Peter Mahony they were unable to come to a unanimous or majority verdict.

“In his opinion, you will not, as a jury, come to a unanimous decision in this trial,” Judge Mahony said.

“He’s given some evidence you would not benefit from thinking about it overnight.”

Judge Mahony then thanked the jury for their service and discharged them.

The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions is yet to indicate their intentions as to whether Karanfilovski will face another trial in the District Court.