Woman, 75, busted with 5kg of heroin at Melbourne Airport

An elderly heroin mule found with 5kg of heroin at Melbourne Airport — the third time she has been busted — will be 83 before she next tastes freedom.

Images of heroin consignment seized from 75-year-old woman at Melbourne Airport. Picture: AFP

An incorrigible elderly heroin mule will be 83 before getting out of jail after being busted at Melbourne Airport with 5kg of the drug.

The 75-year-old was intercepted for the third time trying to smuggle the narcotic into Australia, this time on a flight from Laos in South-East Asia.

She had twice previously been convicted of the same offence in New South Wales.

Australian Border Force officers spotted anomalies in her luggage in January last year and made an inspection, which uncovered 7kg of an unknown substance concealed in a hammock.

The woman, who is from the Sydney suburb of Cabramatta, was arrested at the scene.

Later forensic testing by Australian Federal Police forensic experts found 5.1kg of the substance was heroin.

The drugs were found concealed in a hammock. Picture: AFP

The woman last week pleaded guilty in the Melbourne County Court to a charge of importing a commercial quantity of heroin.

She was sentenced to 12 years in prison with a minimum non-parole term of eight years.

AFP acting Commander Jason McArthur said the case highlighted the ruthlessness of the crime looking for profit at the expense of Australians.

“Criminals have zero regard for the people they involve in their crimes, or the devastating impact of illicit drugs on members of our society,” acting Commander McArthur said.

“If this amount of heroin had reached our streets it could have caused significant harm. This is why the AFP and the ABF work so closely to disrupt these criminal enterprises and prevent illicit substances from inflicting pain and suffering on our community.”

ABF acting Supt Costas Karatzas said the bust should be a reminder of the risk of trying to smuggle drugs into Australia.

Mr Karatzas said the ABF was onto organised crime concealment methods and their use of drug mules.

“Our officers are highly skilled in assessing and preventing any risks to our border,”

he said.

“The ABF, along with the AFP, remain committed to combating the scourge of criminal elements trying to peddle highly-addictive drugs into the community.”