At the end of November, the Australian Border Force made an astounding find: no less than 490kg of methamphetamine hidden in small packets inside car parts, in a shipment that had just come in from oversea. Two arrests have been made in relation to the bust.
According to a statement from the Force, a 17 and a 19-year-old man were picked up and charged for importing the drugs into the country. Apparently, they were supposed to pick up the car parts and the drugs inside, and then hand over the drugs to distributors across the country.
The impact this quantity of drugs would have had on the market would have been considerable, the organization says. There were nearly 5,000 packages of ice hidden inside the 71 hoods in the shipment, with an estimated total street value of $367.5 million.
Last week, several raids took place simultaneously in Sydney, leading to the arrest of the 2 suspects. The younger was due in court the other day, while the older remains in custody, waiting for a court date set for February. Both have been charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, and are facing a lifetime behind bars if they’re found guilty and get the maximum sentence.
“Had this drug seizure made its way to Australian streets, countless lives would have been affected. It could be users, health care workers that deal with drug issues each and every day, or the family that has been torn apart when deaths occur from illicit substance abuse,” Australian Federal Police Detective Acting Superintendent Kristie Cressy, Coordinator Organized Crime Sydney, says in a statement.
The AFP says the bust was possible because the ABF has technologies at its disposal that make finding illegal drugs easier, no matter where they’re hidden.
“Police know better than most the heartbreaking impact of drugs like ice on our community. In stopping almost half a tonne of these dangerous drugs reaching our streets, countless families and friends have been saved from being torn apart by illicit substance abuse,” Cressy adds.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News