Perth man charged after $276,000 worth of meth found stuffed in children’s llama toy

There’s more than meets the eye to this cuddly children’s toy – and its contents have led to the arrest of a Perth man.

More than a quarter of a million dollars worth of meth was found stuffed in children’s toys and wrapped in Christmas wrapping delivered to a suburban Western Australian home.

A 25-year-old Perth man was arrested after he received the package, and the Australian Federal Police will allege he was involved in the importation of the addictive drug from the United States.

The innocent toy llamas contained an estimated $276,000 worth of meth, with police alleging the man went through the package and set fire to some of the contents at Dianella, a suburb in the city’s north.

The cute toy allegedly hid a sinister substance.

The AFP had been tracking the haul after a white crystalline substance was believed to be spotted on entry into Australia in NSW on January 3.

It’s alleged the substance returned a positive result for methamphetamine and the 25-year-old picked up the package and transported the contents to his home in Dianella.

He was charged with attempting to possess a marketable quantity of an illegal drug, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years behind bars if convicted.

“The potential penalty shows how seriously this offence is taken by the government and authorities,” AFP Detective Sergeant Gabrielle Adam said.

An estimated $276,000 worth of meth was said to be intercepted.

“Methamphetamine use causes immense harm — it is linked to other crimes, including assaults and robberies, and any driver impaired by this substance is a danger to everyone else on the roads.

“We will do what we can to prevent these drugs from causing harm in our communities and prosecute those involved in the illicit trade.”

The 25-year-old was taken into custody and will appear in court on Friday.

Packages are strictly monitored when arrived on Australian shores, Australian Border Force Superintendent International Mail NSW John Fleming said.

“ABF officers are highly trained and equipped with state of the art technology to protect the Australian community from threats like illegal drugs,” he said.

“Our officers are stationed at every international port across Australia. They are experts at intercepting illicit drugs no matter the size of the concealment or where criminals attempt to hide them. This detection is yet another example of their great work.”

The 25-year-old is due to face the Perth Magistrates Court on Friday.

Originally published as Perth man charged after $276,000 worth of meth found stuffed in children’s llama toy