Brisbane woman accused of hauling bags of meth for $15k and a free trip
By Sean Parnell
An Australian woman preparing to board a flight from San Francisco to Brisbane was allegedly found with 21kg of methamphetamine in her luggage.
Yasmin Van Tongeren, 25, is being held in a California prison before a court hearing tomorrow on possession and trafficking charges. If found guilty on all charges, she faces a lengthy jail term in the US.
Two weeks ago, airport staff took Van Tongeren out of a security line to screen her luggage.
A random luggage search at San Francisco International Airport allegedly uncovered 21kg in methamphetamine en route to Brisbane.
Inside, they allegedly discovered dozens of ziplock bags containing methamphetamine, all wrapped in black plastic with coffee-soaked material to mask the smell.
San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe told reporters it would be alleged Van Tongeren agreed to bring the drugs home for a man who offered to pay for her California trip and provide another $10,000 to $15,000 in cash upon her return.
The quantity of drugs allegedly involved – just under the airline’s individual baggage allowance – would have had a street value in Australia of almost $4 million.
Van Tongeren was last recorded as living in a townhouse in Brisbane’s eastern suburbs. She is registered as a sole trader.
According to Wagstaffe, she visited a man in Los Angeles who provided the drugs. He said Van Tongeren claimed not to know his surname, and Western Union money transfer receipts had also been found in her possession.
The mastermind of the operation, and whether it was organised in Australia or the US, remained under investigation.
Wagstaffe said that while there had been a tip-off about an attempt to traffic drugs through San Francisco International Airport that day, the decision to screen Van Tongeren’s luggage was made at random.
The Australian woman’s luggage was the subject of a random security screen at San Francisco International Airport.Credit: Bloomberg
Court records showed Van Tongeren had engaged a local lawyer, formally denied the felony charge of possessing drugs for sale, and pleaded not guilty to felony charges of drug possession and drug trafficking.
The case was set down for a preliminary hearing before San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Jonathan E. Karesh on Thursday (Friday, Australian time).
Comment has been sought from Wagstaffe and Van Tongeren’s lawyer, and efforts were being made to speak to family members.
The Australian Federal Police and the Queensland Police Service had yet to respond to requests for comment.
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