Record meth haul from Mexico found in frozen cow hides
A Mexican drug cartel thought this stomach-churning disguise would stop Aussie border officers from searching it - but it failed. And authorities are now investigating if bikie gangs were involved in the $560 million haul.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
An alleged Mexican drug cartel plot smuggled drugs in “putrid” raw cow hide because they incorrectly thought the smell would discourage authorities from searching it.
Australian Border Force officers found 755kg of crystal methamphetamines, known as ice, hidden inside “Salty Bovine Skin Cuervo” which had originated from Mexico.
The $560 million drug haul would have equated to more than 7.5 million deals on Melbourne streets.
It is the biggest onshore seizure of ice from Mexico. The drugs were hidden in 161 packages with the hide wrapped around them. The container was found in Sydney on August 13 but its destination was Melbourne.
A 42-year-old Mexican man was arrested in St Kilda yesterday but the AFP say investigation is ongoing and there may be further arrests either in Australia or internationally.
Australian Border Force Victoria commander Craig Palmer said the container raised a number of red flags which warranted further inspection.
Commander Palmer said ultimately it was a hunch from analyst that decided there was something off about the container which warranted further inspection.
“It certainly didn’t smell right. But it was no barrier to the search.”
Commander Palmer said it was a unique way to hide drugs but internationally organised crime syndicates had used hazardous material to mask illicit drugs.
“Hazardous substance because of the difficulties to search the substance is seen as a safe way of smuggling drugs,” Commander Palmer said.
“But this seizure proves it is not.”
He said while the raw cow hide would have been unlikely to pass Australia’s strict quarantine measures the container was singled out for inspection before Quarantine became involved.
Australian Federal Police commander Amanda Kates, state manager of Victoria and Tasmania, praised the searching officers who pushed past the rancid and foul smelling packages to uncover the drugs.
“The scene was putrid, rancid, stomach churning nauseating and just plain awful.”
“Hiding drug in untreated cow hides presented a significant biological hazard for the AFP and ABF members extracting it. It once again shows organised criminal syndicates have no conscience or care for those they are targeting with their illegal products,” said Commander Kates.
“These syndicates rely on human suffering at all stages of their activities, this occurs at the supply end in Mexico through to the harm suffered by users and their families here in Australia.”
This is the fourth major detection of ice bound for Australia in just three months. It comes only two months after the largest ever onshore methamphetamines consignment of 1.6 tonnes was found hidden in stereo speakers.
In January American authorities found 1.7 tonnes of ice in California that came from Mexico and was destined for Australia.
Commander Kates said Australia was becoming a top market for Mexican cartels to smuggle methamphetamines to.
“It is an opportunity and Australia is a market of choice, we pay top dollar and even if they have no buyers out here they get the product here and someone will buy it.”
Local organised crime gangs - like bikie groups - have been known to handle local distribution of the drugs for Mexican cartels.
But Commander Kates said it was not yet known who was to be the local distributor for the drugs or which organised crime group was responsible for smuggling the drug here.
A 42-year-old Mexican national is due to face court today charged with the importation of the drugs.
The AFP executed two search warrants yesterday and took electronic items.
Commander Kates said those items are being examined to uncover what links he might have had to international crime syndicates.
MAN JAILED OVER HUGE DRUG HAUL IMPORT
The man was in Australia on a visa.
He has been charged with importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drug and attempting to posses a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs.
The maximum penalty for those offences is life imprisonment.
Assistant Customs minister Jason Wood - who was a member of Victoria Police - said organised crime gangs use smelly materials to put off sniffer dogs.
He said if the deadly consignment got passed Customs it would have created misery on Melbourne’s streets.