Australian woman facing 10 years in US jail over drug mule charges

A young Australian woman allegedly tried to traffic almost $3.8 million worth of methamphetamine in her suitcase on a flight from San Francisco back to Brisbane.

EXCLUSIVE

A young Australian woman suspected of being a drug mule is facing a decade behind bars in the US if found guilty after she allegedly tried to traffic almost $3.8 million worth of methamphetamine hidden in her suitcase.

The massive stash was allegedly discovered in Yasmin Van Tongeren’s bag which she checked in at San Francisco International Airport on February 11 for a flight to Brisbane.

In an exclusive interview, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said police would allege the 25-year-old had travelled to Los Angeles to collect the 21kg drug shipment at the request of a friend who offered to pay her up to $15,000.

“She said that she was there visiting another friend, and she was then after the week returning home to fly to Brisbane. Her friend had asked her, hey, would you take this there,” Mr Wagstaffe said, referring to the suitcase allegedly filled with methamphetamine.

“She initially said she didn’t know what was in it. Ultimately, she acknowledged she knew what was inside. Our information is based purely on what she had to say. She said it was to be a payment upon her return to Australia of $10,000 to $15,000.”

$3.8 million worth of methamphetamine was found in an Australian woman's suitcase at San Francisco International Airport on Tuesday. Picture: Supplied

The suitcase also contained clothes which appeared to be stained with coffee in what investigators believed was an attempt to mask the scent of the drugs.

While the local authorities had received a tip about a potential drug courier passing through the airport, Mr Wagstaffe said the decision to check Ms Van Tongeren’s bag was random.

“It was not her lucky day. She just had the bad luck that they happened to take a look at her suitcase,” he said.

The 25-year-old had not been on the radar of local law enforcement before, the District Attorney said. He said she told investigators that her trip was “basically a vacation”.

Ms Van Tongeren has been charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, transportation of a controlled substance, and second-degree burglary, according to prison records.

She pleaded not guilty at an initial court hearing earlier this month. She is on remand at the Maple Street Correctional Center, located between San Francisco and San Jose.

The woman is being held at Maple Street Correctional Center in California. Picture: Supplied

If the charges are proven, she faces at least eight years in a state prison, with up to three more years potentially added on as a result of the volume of drugs she was allegedly trafficking.

“The weight is a big thing,” Mr Wagstaffe said.

The wholesale price of a kilogram of methamphetamine in Australia ranges between $115,000 and $180,000, according to the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, meaning the 21kg stash allegedly hidden in Ms Van Tongeren’s suitcase could have been worth up to $3.8m on the street.

Mr Wagstaffe said she could have faced an even steeper penalty had federal authorities decided to prosecute the case instead.

“Maybe they think she’s just what we call a mule, and not worthy of the heavier sanctions,” he said.

“They can obtain much longer sentences than we can. But they’ve left her to us, which is to her benefit.”

He said authorities were yet to identify the person who allegedly gave the drug-filled suitcase to the young Australian.

Originally published as Australian woman facing 10 years in US jail over drug mule charges