The Australian/NZ Drug Busts Mega-Thread Part Deux

[lil angel15]

Clayfield drug lab uncovered - police
March 15, 2008 09:29am

A MAN and a woman have been arrested after police busted an alleged clandestine drug laboratory in inner Brisbane.

About 11am on Wednesday police found equipment allegedly used to produce drugs in Miles Street, Clayfield.

A 36-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman have been charged with one count each of production of a dangerous drug, possession of items used in a crime and possession of relevant items.

The woman has also been charged with one count of permitting a premises to be used for the commission of a crime, police said.

The pair will appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court today.

Courier Mail

 

[lil angel15]

Man in court after drugs seized – Haymarket
Monday, 17 Mar 2008 12:04pm


A man will face court today after police seized an amount of drugs with a street value of over $50,000 from a unit in central Sydney on the weekend.

As a result of a number of inquiries police from City Central Local Area Command executed a search warrant at a unit in Pitt Street about 7pm on Saturday (16 March).

Police will allege that an amount of drugs believed to be ecstasy, cannabis and amphetamines were seized along with an amount of cash.

A 24-year-old male resident was arrested and taken to City Central Police Station for questioning.

He was later charged with a number of drug offences including supply commercial quantity of prohibited drugs and dealing in the proceeds of crime.

He was refused bail and is expected to appear in Burwood Local Court today.

Inquiries into the incident continue.

NSW Police Media Unit

 

[lil angel15]

Search reveals drugs, cash
17th March 2008, 10:45 WST

A police search has led to the discovery of drugs, cash and stolen property.

Midland police searched a vehicle driven by a 29-year-old South Guildford man in a Midvale chicken shop car park on Sunday, discovering a bag allegedly containing methylamphetamine and ecstasy, deal bags, digital scales and about $1000 cash.

A property in South Guildford was later searched and a stereo and electronic equipment, jewellery, laptop, GPS units, trailer and other goods were allegedly found.

The man has been charged with two counts of possessing a drug with intent to sell or supply, five counts of unlawful possession and one of receiving.

His 23-year-old female partner was also charged with unlawful possession and receiving.

Both are due to appear in the Midland Magistrate’s Court today.

The West

 

[lil angel15]

Man charged over drug crop
Tony Wilson
18 Mar 08

DETECTIVES raided a house in Mermaid Waters this morning and found a small hydroponic drug crop in a bedroom.

Police said the drugs were found growing under lights in a bedroom in a house in Oceanic Drive.

Burleigh Heads CIB Detective Sergeant Mark Buchanan said the drugs had a street value of about $10,000 and were described as very good quality.

A man has been charged with possessing and supplying a dangerous drug and will appear in court at a date to be fixed.

In another morning raid, Burleigh Heads CIB detectives seized a small amount of cannabis and drug implements at a house in Gilston Road, Gilston.

A 36-year-old man was charged with possession of drugs a given a notice to appear.

Gold Coast

 

[lil angel15]

Drug mule 'swallowed 91 heroin packs'
By Christine Flatley
March 18, 2008 03:16pm

A SINGAPOREAN man swallowed more than $500,000 worth of heroin and then tried to smuggle it into Australia, a court has been told.

The Supreme Court in Brisbane was told Teck Boon Ng, 40, had 91 packets of heroin in his stomach when he was arrested at Brisbane International Airport on June 27 last year.

He pleaded guilty today to one count of importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug.

Commonwealth prosecutor Paul Huygens told the court Ng had arrived on a flight from Hong Kong and was questioned by Customs officers after looking "nervous".

Ng quickly admitted to having swallowed a large amount of heroin before boarding the flight.

He was arrested by Australian Federal Police and spent two days in hospital while he passed all the packages.

The court was told Ng had swallowed almost 500g of powder, and that the pure weight of the heroin was 286.1g. The drugs had an estimated street value of $572,000.

Defence barrister Simon Lewis said Ng had agreed to courier the drugs to Australia out of desperation for money.

Mr Lewis told the court his client had travelled to Hong Kong in search of work but had been lured into becoming a mule with the promise of a $US5000 ($A5430) payment.

He was given just $US400 ($A434) and a mobile phone before leaving for Australia, and told immigration officials the purpose of his trip was for a holiday.

Justice John Byrne today sentenced Ng to nine years jail with a non-parole period of five years.

News.com.au

 

[lil angel15]

$1m 'fish and beer' ring busted
PHOEBE STEWART
18Mar08

Code names used to refer to drugs, court told

FISH and beer code names were used by a disabled Territory ex-soldier to hide a million-dollar drug ring from police, a court heard yesterday.


And the man ran drugs to Darwin to ``build a nest egg'' to ``pay off'' his ex-wife, the Supreme Court was told.

Cannabis was described as barramundi, trevally, cartons of beer, crewmen or motorbikes in an alleged drug ring involving 53-year-old Johne Charles Jesson.


``Some great big trevally has just popped up. You will be licking your lips over it,'' he told one caller. The drugs were packed in dummy eskies with false sides labelled ``Marrakai Pet Food and Livestock Feed NT'' and Jesson was found with 8.74kg of cannabis when police stopped his ute in Mataranka last August after a tip-off.


The father-of-four was charged and bailed on August 16, but a police-tap on his phone found he was talking about drug-running again that day, the court heard.


In September he was heard saying he had ``chartered a boat'' that held about ``24 crewman'' and was ``going out for that cruise'' soon. Police arrested two others at the Hidden Valley carpark allegedly with 10.7kg of cannabis, imbedded in a Holden ute tray, allegedly associated with the ``cruise''.


Crown prosecutor Paul Usher told the court a ``crew of 24'' fishermen was code for 10.8kg (24 pounds) of cannabis.


At an earlier committal hearing, the court heard that the drugs had an estimated value of $500,000 in Darwin, which doubled if sold in remote communities.


Jesson pleaded guilty to possessing and supplying the drug. Defence lawyer Peter Maley said that Jesson had ``stupidly'' become involved to pay his ex-wife out from their $250,000 rural property.

He said the 19-year army veteran was ``totally permanently impaired'' through knee and shoulder injuries, living off a $964 a fortnight army pension.

Justice Stephen Southwood adjourned his sentence decision until Wednesday.


Jesson's two co-accused are set to face trial over their alleged involvement later this year.

Northern Territory News

 

[peaked]

DPP fails to seize house part-owned by drug grower
March 18, 2008 02:00pm

THE Director of Public Prosecutions has failed in a bid to take possession of a rural property part-owned by a convicted drug grower.

Paul Anthony Condo is serving a three-year prison sentence after being convicted of growing 900 cannabis plants at a remote property at Cobera in the Murray Mallee.

Condo, 39, had an interest in the property along with his parents, Salvatore and Maria Condo.

The DPP applied on behalf of the state to take possession of the property because it was linked to the proceeds of crime.

Condo resisted the application, arguing that such an order would unfairly disadvantage his elderly parents.

Mr Condo was originally jointly charged with his son but prosecutors dropped the charges in the Berri Magistrates Court for lack of evidence.

The Supreme Court ruled there was no admissible evidence to link Mr Condo to the drug ring.

The court declined to make the order sought by the DPP, ruling that Mr and Mrs Condo would be put under undue financial hardship had the order been granted.

news.com.au

 

[lil angel15]

Drug dope hid from bikies in a wardrobe
SEAN FEWSTER, COURT REPORTER
March 20, 2008 11:10am

AN incompetent drug-maker with a "raging" gram-a-day addiction who hid from bikies in a wardrobe has received an unwelcome birthday present - a jail term.

Adam Cavanagh Smith, who turned 38 today, cried his way through a District Court sentencing hearing.

Judge Paul Rice said there was "no good reason" to suspend Smith's 26-month non-parole period for producing more than 650g of methylamphetamine for an outlaw motorcycle gang.

He had to say it twice, however, because Smith was crying too loudly to hear it the first time.

"This is serious offending, and people must be discouraged from co-operating with these gangs," he said.

"Those who organise these labs, those who really profit, get people like you to do their dirty work."

In sentencing, Judge Rice said Smith's offending began in January 2006.

"You had a raging amphetamine addiction... you were using up to a gram a day," he said.

"You came into contact with two men who were either members or associates of a bikie gang.

"You soon had an $1800 debt to them."

He said the men offered Smith the chance to pay off his debt by making drugs for them.

But Smith failed to produce the illicit chemicals despite several attempts.

He resorted to buying drugs from another supplier and gave them to the bikies, pretending it was his creation.

When the bikies tried to contact Smith, he "began avoiding their phone calls".

When they went to his Campbelltown home and kicked in his door, he "hid in a wardrobe and called the police".

Officers seized Smith's equipment, the drugs he had managed to produce, and $2280 cash.

At the time, police dubbed the haul "one of the largest clandestine labs ever found".

Judge Rice jailed Smith for four and a half years, with a 26-month non-parole period.

AdelaideNow

 

[lil angel15]

Police seize cannabis, plants in Rockingham raid
March 20, 2008 07:51am

POLICE seized almost 3.5kg of dried cannabis and two cannabis plants that were growing at a property in Rockingham yesterday.

Rockingham detectives executed a search warrant at the Parkin St residence about 8am and allegedly found the two mature 2m-high cannabis plants in the back yard.

Officers searched the home and in one bedroom allegedly located an amount of cannabis heads in clip seal bags and ice cream containers, and in a second bedroom discovered a quantity of cannabis leaf in five plastic shopping bags.

A bottle of dexamphetamine tablets and a further amount of cannabis, a smoking implement and 50 cannabis seeds were uncovered in the laundry area inside a rear shed.

Detectives arrested and charged a 47-year-old man with cultivating a prohibited plant
with intent to sell or supply, possessing a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply, possessing a prohibited drug and possessing a smoking implement.

He will appear in the Rockingham Magistrate’s Court today.

A 32-year-old man in the same house was charged with possessing a prohibited drug (dexamphetamine and cannabis) and he will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.

PerthNow

 

[lil angel15]

'Party life' led to drug dealing
MARIA RAE
March 20, 2008 12:00am

A MOUNT Stuart man found with cocaine and ecstasy tablets at the MS Fest has admitted to drug dealing.

Alexander John Hadrill, 25, pleaded guilty to trafficking and possessing controlled drugs in the Supreme Court in Hobart yesterday.

Drug squad detectives searched Hadrill at the popular Launceston festival on March 11, 2007 after a tip-off.

Crown prosecutor Linda Mason said they found a small vial of white powder and $1100 cash in his wallet.

He told police he had bought $300 worth of cocaine from a mate and had snorted some of it through a rolled-up $50 note.

He also admitted to selling between $100 and $400 worth of ecstasy since March 2005.

When police searched his house again in June 2007 they found 10 blue ecstasy tablets in a pillow on his bed.

Hadrill had told police he continued to deal because his hours working as a night filler at a Coles supermarket had been cut.

Defence lawyer Cameron Lee said Hadrill was at the crossroads of his life after realising what he did was "dumb and foolish".

He said when Hadrill moved out of home he lived in a "party house" with four young adults.

"He then began mixing in what can be described as bad company," he said.

"It was then he started going out to nightclubs and he began to use the drug ecstasy."

Mr Lee said Hadrill had moved back into his father's house and was working more hours.

He had also enrolled in a pre-employment electrical course with the aim of doing an apprenticeship.

"He's no longer associating with these people that got him into trouble," he said.

"He's removed himself from that environment he found himself in."

Mr Lee described Hadrill's dealing as a "rather amateurish act".

"It's essentially small-time," he said.

"It's a young man who sold relatively low quantities."

He said Hadrill had felt significant remorse and was terrified of going to jail.

Justice Alan Blow remanded Hadrill in custody to reappear on March 28 for sentencing.

Mercury

 

[lil angel15]

Cairns man jailed over drug lab
March 19, 2008 15:09:00

A 37-year-old Cairns man has been sentenced to nine months jail by the Supreme Court after pleading guilty to operating an illegal drug laboratory in the far north Queensland city.

In December 2005, Cairns police raided a home in Toohey Street at Portsmith and arrested Timothy James Carthew on two charges of possessing drug making equipment and producing a dangerous drug.

Detectives found glassware and a quantity of methylamphetamines in a shed on the property.

During sentencing this morning, defence barrister Lyndon Brandt told Justice Stanley Jones, Carthew produced the drugs for personal use due to a painful knee injury.

Justice Jones told the court a custodial sentence was appropriate due to the defendant's long history of drug convictions and violence.

Carthew was sentenced to nine months jail, reduced to three months for time already served.

ABC Online

Pensioner jailed for drug production
Thursday, March 20, 2008

A Cairns disability pensioner who set up a speed laboratory in a Portsmith industrial shed which doubled as his home has been sentenced to nine months in jail.

Timothy James Carthew, 36, pleaded guilty yesterday in the Supreme Court to possessing items used in connection with producing dangerous drugs.

Police seized glassware and precursor chemicals used to manufacture methylamphetamines, or speed, when they raided the Toohey St shed on December 8, 2005.

At the time of the raid, police had concerns that the unhygienic conditions of the makeshift speed lab could be placing drug users at serious risk.

But yesterday, defence barrister Lyndon Brandt told the Cairns court that Carthew only set up the apparatus to produce methylamphetamines for personal use.

Crown prosecutor Gelma Meoli said analysis of the items had confirmed the presence of precursor chemicals and traces of methylamphetamine.

The maximum penalty for the offence is 15 years’ jail.

Mr Brandt said Carthew had been unable to work since injuring his knee as a truck driver in 1998.

Carthew had been a long-term user of marijuana for pain relief and wanted to try “a harder drug”.

He claimed the glassware was set up one week before the police search and Carthew produced just one batch of the drug, which was of poor quality.

But Justice Stanley Jones said the number of used glass bottles, gas bottles, chemicals and the amount of sludge produced as a by-product of the drug suggested otherwise.

“Those items which you were found to be in possession of have been used for the manufacture of methylamphetamine and, it seems to me, on more than one occasion,” Justice Jones said.

“Persons who have possession of it (equipment) facilitate the spread of this drug in the community. And it is a dangerous drug.”

Carthew was given credit for 198 days already spent in custody. No parole eligibility date was set.

Cairns.com.au

 

[lil angel15]

Man jailed for drug trafficking
Posted Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:22am AEDT

A northern Tasmanian man has been sentenced to nine month's jail for selling methamphetamines.

23 year old Luke James Reader from Newstead was found guilty by a jury of trafficking in a controlled substance in May 2006.

Police found bags of the drug worth about $8,000 at Reader's home.

Justice Ewan Crawford said Reader's crime was harmful to the public and because he had a history of drug related offences, the only appropriate sentence was imprisonment.

ABC Online

 

[lil angel15]

Drugs, cash worth $10m seized in bust
March 21, 2008 - 8:33AM

Almost $10 million in drugs and cash has been seized as an alleged international smuggling operation, involving furniture imported into Sydney, has been busted.

Four men, three in NSW and one in South Australia, have been charged over the alleged importation of 28kg of heroin.

Customs officials found the drugs hidden inside a consignment of furniture which arrived in a shipping container on February 22, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said on Saturday.

The movement of the drugs was tracked as part of a three week investigation which culminated in raids and arrests across three states.

It is alleged the drugs, with an estimated street value of $8.4 million, were initially delivered to premises in Adelaide and in Shellharbour, NSW.

A 57-year-old Shellharbour man, two Sydney men aged 54 and 48 and a 43-year-old Adelaide man were arrested on Friday.

They have been charged with importing and attempting to possess a commercial quantity of heroin.

"Police arrested the four men and seized in excess of $1.5 million in cash," an AFP spokesman said.

"It will be alleged in court that the syndicate concealed 69 packages of heroin inside the tops of three wooden chests of drawers.

"The chests were inside a consignment of wooden furniture."

Search warrants were also executed on Friday at premises in Camden Park, Adelaide, in Queensland's Southport; and in Sydney, Pyrmont, Kings Cross, Rosebery, Fishing Point, Albion Park Rail and Barrack Heights in NSW.

The Shellharbour man will appear in Wollongong Magistrates Court on Saturday, while the two Sydney men will appear in Parramatta Local Court.

The Adelaide man is expected to appear in Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

They face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and or fines up to $825,000 each.

The AGE

 

[lil angel15]

Drug lab found as homes raided
March 21, 2008 08:26am

A CLANDESTINE laboratory and drug-making chemicals have been uncovered in police raids on two homes on the NSW south coast, police say.

Officers attached to Strike Force Eale raided the first property south of wollongong in Linton Circuit, Kanahooka, about 6pm (AEDT) yesterday.

"Police discovered a large clandestine laboratory, allegedly set up to produce large commercial quantities of MDMA (or ecstasy)," NSW Police Force says in a statement.

A second search warrant was executed at a house in Woombye Close, in nearby Koonawarra, where police say they seized drug precursor chemicals and cash.

The home raids followed the arrest of a 32-year-old Koonawarra man, whose white van was halted by officers as he was driving through Kanahooka yesterday.

The man has been charged with manufacturing a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug, and dealing in the proceeds of crime.

He was refused bail and is expected to appear in Wollongong Local Court today.

Police say their inquiries are continuing.

News.com.au

Carpenter denies drugs connection
By PAUL McINERNEY

Christos Agoris claims he was just a carpenter fixing up the Kanahooka house for a relative when taskforce police officers swooped on the premises about 6pm on Thursday.

The 32-year-old of Woombye Close, Koonawarra, told the police he had not noticed anything unusual inside the house.

In Wollongong Local Court yesterday, Registrar Mandy D'Arcy heard a different version of events from police, who allege the 32-year-old Koonawarra man was one of three people operating an elaborate and clandestine laboratory capable of producing large scale quantities of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy.

Agoris faces one charge of manufacturing a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug and one of dealing in proceeds of crime.

On February 8 this year, Strike Force Eale was formed to investigate the alleged manufacture of MDMA by Agoris and at least two associates using telephone intercepts and covert surveillance.

On the day of the raid on the house in Linton Circuit, the men were heard talking on the phone about being "six hours into a 16-hour cook".

Police arrested Agoris in his van outside the Linton Circuit house.

Two men in a black Audi coupe allegedly drove at police before mounting the footpath and driving off at high speed.

Shortly after, the vehicle crashed through the fence of Lakeside Crematorium and the two men ran off. A large scale search of the area throughout Thursday night failed to find them.

A witness to the crash handed police a rubber glove containing 140g of MDMA, which was allegedly found near the vehicle.

The court heard that inside the Linton Circuit house, Task Force Eale officers found a large quantity of chemicals in plastic containers used in the manufacture of the drug and five litres of MDMA worth more than $600,000 on the street.

Police also searched Agoris' Woombye Close home, where they allegedly found more chemicals used in the manufacturing process of MDMA and a significant amount of cash.

Applying for bail, Legal Aid solicitor Raymond Clack said Agoris denied all police allegations and claimed he had been fixing up the house for a member of the family prior to it being put on the market and sold.

"My instructions are that he did not see any chemicals inside the house and has no idea how to manufacture such a thing.

"The fact that my client was there in his work van and that the two men fled the scene in an expensive European sports car say that the manufacturer (of the drug) was not my client," he said.

Denying bail, Registrar D'Arcy said the prosecution case against Agoris was strong and that his freedom posed a significant risk to the community.

"And I also query that he didn't see the large quantity of chemicals stored in five rooms of the house."

Agoris was remanded in custody to appear in Wollongong Court on March 25.

Illawarra Mercury

 

[lil angel15]

More than 800 ecstasy tablets seized – Surry Hills
Sunday, 23 Mar 2008 05:31am

A man will face court this morning charged in relation to possession of more than 800 ecstasy tablet at Surry Hills on Saturday morning.

About 2.20am yesterday (22 March) police from Surry Hills Local Area Command responded to reports of a break and enter at unit block on Foveaux Street.

Witnesses told police that altercation was heard in the foyer area of the apartment block with unknown persons allegedly attempting to gain entry to one of the units.

Police arriving at the address located a 39-year-old man from Allambie Heights outside the unit block. The man was searched with police allegedly locating 828 ecstasy tablets down the front of his trousers.

The estimated potential street value of the drugs is about $35,000.

The 39-year-old man was arrested and taken to Surry Hills Police Station where he was questioned and charged.

He was charged with possess prohibited drug and supplying a commercial quantity of a prohibited drug.

He was refused bail and is due to appear at Parramatta Local Court today.

NSW Police Media Unit

 

[lil angel15]

Man charged over cannabis plant find
Posted Sat Mar 22, 2008 7:09pm AEDT

A 46-year-old Brisbane man has been charged with drug offences after police allegedly found a number of cannabis plants in his Mount Gravatt home.

Police charged the man with producing and supplying a dangerous drug after they went to his Lumley Road address on the city's southside overnight.

A 55-year-old man was also charged with possession of a utensil.

Both men are due to appear in court at a later date.

ABC Online

 

[lil angel15]

Customs grab alleged cocaine importer
March 22, 2008 - 10:49AM

Customs officers have nabbed a Californian man for allegedly importing cocaine through Sydney's international airport.

The 48-year-old San Franciscan will face a Sydney court on Saturday, charged with importing a marketable quantity of an illicit drug.

"Customs officers at Sydney International Airport stopped the man for a baggage examination when he arrived on a flight from San Francisco on Monday 17 March," a joint Customs and federal police statement said.

"During questioning, officers became suspicious that he may have been concealing drugs internally."

Police took the man to hospital where it is alleged he, over a period of time, excreted 82 pellets or about 700 grams of a white powder police suspect is cocaine.

If found guilty he faces up to 25 years jail.

The AGE

 

[lil angel15]

Women smuggling drugs into Qld jails

Marissa Calligeros
March 31, 2008 - 5:34AM

Queensland prison authorities have beefed up security and surveillance following the discovery of drugs being smuggled to inmates by women visitors.

Police Minuster Judy Spence revealed yesterday four women had been caught in the past month allegedly trying to smuggle drugs into prisons in their bras, underwear and handbags.

Ms Spence said women were facing enormous pressure from their husbands, defactos, boyfriends, sons or other relatives to smuggle drugs into prisons during visits.

Women aged between 21 and 26, or 31 and 35 have been caught with tablets - mainly buprenorphine - hidden in balloons in their bras.

In one case a 21-year-old female was allegedy caught attempting to smuggle drugs into Woodford Correctional Centre in a plastic straw, which was taped inside the waist band of her underwear.

More than 12 separate incidents of attempted drug smuggling by female visitors to the Woodford Correctional Centre were reported between February 17 and December 2 last year.

A 25-year-old female visitor to the Maryborough Correctional Centre was charged after three syringes and a small plastic bag containing white powder were allegedly found during a search of her car.

"We want to get the message out to women that the chances of being caught are really very high," Ms Spence said.

She warned that women with no criminal convictions of their own could find themselves facing charges and the possibility of jail.

Surveillance at correctional centres across Queensland has been vamped up.

Police sniffer dogs, ionic scanners and extra intelligence personal are now on deck to curtail the smuggling attempts.

"Women are really risking their own futures because they're likely to get caught," Ms Spence said.

brisbanetimes.com.au

 

[SilentBob]

Drug charges, Glass House Mountains

A 48-year-old Glass House Mountains man has been charged with drug related offences after a cannabis crop was located on a Glass House Mountains property today. Police executed a search warrant on the property this morning after anonymous information was received through Crime Stoppers. A search of the property located a cannabis crop and a quantity of recently cut cannabis. The man has been charged with one count each of produce a dangerous drug, possess a dangerous drug and possess things used in crime.

Drug arrest and charges, Doongul (near Maryborough)

Police have arrested and charged a 71-year-old man and a 50-year-old man, both from Maryborough, in relation to a large cannabis crop located in Doongul this afternoon. Police executed a search warrant around midday and located the well established plants. Further searches of two properties located a substantial quantity of dried cannabis. Both men have been charged with one count each of produce a dangerous drug, possess a dangerous drug and supply a dangerous drug. They will both appear in the Maryborough Magistrates Court on April 22.

The QLD Police Media Unit

 

[SilentBob]

Drug find at Cairns International Airport - Monday, 24th March 2008
Joint Media Release - Australian Customs Service and the Australian Federal Police

A Nigerian man has faced Cairns Magistrates Court this morning (Monday) charged with attempting to import drugs through Cairns International Airport inside his body.

The 39-year-old man was stopped by Customs officers when he arrived on a flight from Narita, Japan on Thursday 20 March.

During questioning, officers became suspicious the man may be concealing drugs internally and referred him to the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

He was taken to Cairns Base Hospital for a medical examination where an x-ray revealed he was concealing more than 50 packages.

It will be alleged the man passed a total of 54 pellets containing approximately 945 grams of a white powder believed to be heroin.

The pellets are currently the subject of forensic testing to determine the exact weight and purity of the drugs.

The man has been charged with importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug under the Commonwealth Criminal Code Act 1995.

The maximum penalty for this offence is 25 years imprisonment and/or a fine of $550,000.

Customs Media Room