Text young man sent before alleged $6.5 million drug smuggle attempt aired in court

A text allegedly sent by a young New Zealander accused of trying to bring 20kg of cocaine into Australia from the US has been aired in court.

A young New Zealand national accused of trying to bring 20kg of cocaine into Australia from the United States thought he was only carrying “cigarettes and vapes”, texts read to a court have revealed.

James Niven Timothy Moa, 21, was arrested at Sydney Airport on Saturday after Australian Border Force officers detected the drugs in a baggage examination upon his arrival at the airport from the US.

Inside his suitcase, 22 vacuum sealed packages full of a white substance, which was later confirmed by testing to be cocaine, were found, the AFP allege.

The estimated street value was placed at $6.5 million.

Mr Moa was charged with one count of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.

Mr Moa appeared via AVL at the Downing Centre Local Court on Monday supported by many family members who cried in court as Magistrate Greg Grogin noted the maximum penalty for the crime was life in prison.

He was granted strict conditional bail, and is to live at his family home in Campbelltown under a strict curfew and electronic monitoring.

Mr Moa also surrendered his passport, and a $100,000 surety was put in place ahead of his release.

Australian Border Force (ABF) officers allegedly detected the illicit drugs on Saturday (1 February, 2025).

The court was told an anonymous person paid for Mr Moa’s flight, passport and Visa to visit the United States.

Mr Moa, a young barber, had his bag swapped at the airport before his return to Australia, police facts read in court stated.

“He had a mobile phone exchange with an anonymous person on the 1st of February,” Mr Moa’s solicitor Mr Hughes said.

“His message asked the person if it was ‘just cigarettes and vapes?”

Magistrate Grogin said multiple “alarm bells” should have rung for Mr Moa ahead of the alleged offending, which he described as “extremely serious”.

“As reflected in the police facts… he’s jumped on a plane after being offered a free holiday to the US… the alarm bells should have been ringing,” he said.

“And they should have been ringing when the bags were swapped at the airport… and when he was communicating with a person who remained anonymous.”

Prosecutor Jonathan Robert Kisch opposed bail and argued Mr Moa acted with “a level of recklessness”.

Mr Grogin noted due to Mr Moa’s youth and lack of prior criminal history, a bail order was appropriate.

“This is going to be a hard road for him…please make sure he is monitored, looked after and loved,” Mr Grogin asked of Mr Moa’s family in court.

He will return to court in March.

AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Luke Needham said in a statement both the AFP and ABF have worked tirelessly to ensure air travel and airports are not used as a criminal supply chain.

“This man is the third person charged by the AFP in the past fortnight for allegedly trying to smuggle illicit drugs into Australia hidden in luggage,” Det a/Supt Needham said.

“The AFP and its partners are working tirelessly to disrupt all levels of the drug trade and stop anyone who tries to profit at the expense of our community.”

Originally published as Text young man sent before alleged $6.5 million drug smuggle attempt aired in court