Alleged drug smuggler sent fake package by police
A woman has faced court accused of bringing methamphetamine into Queensland after allegedly accepting a replica drugs package sent by police to an address in Surfers Paradise. FULL DETAILS >>>
Police & Courts
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AN ALLEGED drug smuggler has been granted bail after police used replica consignments in an elaborate operation.
The 29-year-old woman faced Southport Magistrates Court on Friday charged with allegedly importing about 14kg of methamphetamine from Mexico to Queensland.
Australian Border Force (ABF) officers allegedly found the drugs concealed inside boxes labelled as Mexican handicrafts that arrived in international airfreight at Brisbane Airport on September 16.
A white powder concealed in the boxes were tested and returned a positive result for methamphetamine.
The matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police and officers created a replica consignment that was delivered to a Surfers Paradise address on Thursday.
A woman of Colombian nationality allegedly accepted the package before officers executed a search warrant and entered the property.
During the search police say they observed parts of the boxes had been cut apart where the drugs were concealed in the original consignment.
Police seized a number of electronic devices for further examination along with a passport, consignment documentation, the blade used for cutting the boxes and the replica consignment.
The woman is facing charges of importing an illegal drug and attempted possession of an illegal drug.
The maximum penalty is life imprisonment.
She received bailed in Southport Magistrates Court on Friday and is next due to appear on October 18.
AFP Detective superintendent Helen Schneider said it was another case of an alleged drug importer finding more than just a delivery driver arriving on their doorstep.
“We are constantly working with our partners to stay one step ahead of even the most sophisticated methods of concealing drugs,” she said.
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