Man’s ‘putrid’ attempt to smuggle more than 600kg of meth in rotting cow hides

A man used a bizarre and “putrid” method to try to smuggle more than 600kg of ice into Australia last year.

A man has been jailed for more than two decades after the “putrid” smell of rotting cow hides tipped off police to a massive meth operation worth more than $6m.

The Mexican national, 45, was found guilty of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug following a 12-week trial in the County Court of Victoria last year.

In 2019, police searched a shipping container labelled “Salty Bovine Skin Cuero Verde Salado De Bovino”, which had arrived in Melbourne from Mexico.

Eighteen pallets of frozen, raw and untreated cow skins were being used to conceal 167 silver packages of a white crystalline substance – later determined to be high-grade meth – hidden in the skin.

Authorities unearthed 668kg of the drug ice hidden inside raw animal skins in a shipping container. Picture: AFP

The rotting skin was described by investigators tasked with removing the drug as “putrid”.

The man, who had arrived on a tourist visa, was arrested in August 2019 following a raid on his St Kilda address.

He was sentenced on Friday to 22 years in prison, with a non-parole period of 15 years.

AFP Detective Superintendent Anthony Hall said organised crime syndicates “inflict human suffering” at all stages of the drug supply operation, from Mexico where the drug is sourced to users and their families in Australia.

“AFP officers collected overwhelming evidence of the syndicate’s attempts to co-ordinate the importation of harmful illicit drugs into our country and significantly contribute to the abhorrent harm being inflicted on the Australian community,” Superintendent Hall said.

167 silver packages of high-grade meth were found hidden in rotting cow skin. Picture: AFP

He said the shipment also presented a “significant biological hazard” to officers tasked with extracting the meth from the raw cow hides.

Australian Border Force superintendent of maritime operations south Dan Peters said ABF officers used technical expertise and sophisticated technology that allowed them to find drugs, regardless of the method of concealment used by criminals.

“This seizure shows that strong partnerships can prevent and disrupt organised crime syndicates who try to import illicit substances into the country,“ Superintendent Peters said.