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Drugs hidden in duty-free chocolates
The drugs smuggled into the country inside chocolates. Photo: Jason South
Kate Hagan
July 3, 2009
AN AUSTRIAN woman has pleaded guilty to importing a commercial quantity of the drug "ice" into Australia concealed in Toblerone and Ferrero Rocher chocolates.
Nicole Demirkiran, 31, was found with 0.2 grams of the methamphetamine in a plastic zip-lock bag in her handbag during a search by customs officers after she arrived at Melbourne airport from Thailand on March 11.
But X-rays of her baggage and sniffer dogs failed to uncover a larger stash inside the chocolate wrappers, which she was carrying in a duty-free bag.
Federal police charged Demirkiran over the ice found in her handbag, and she was released on bail. They later found 1366 grams in the chocolate wrappers in her hotel room after a tip from customs about drugs being concealed in a similar manner previously.
The drug was wrapped in plastic, then covered with foil inside the four triangular Toblerone packages. It was divided between 52 of 60 Ferrero Rocher chocolates contained in two boxes, encased in plastic and resealed in the chocolates' gold foil.
Demirkiran pleaded guilty in Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday to a charge of importing a commercial quantity of ice.
Demirkiran initially told police she had bought the chocolates from a man at the airport as a present for her husband and four-year-old son.
She later admitted accepting them from members of a criminal group from Austria.
Demirkiran told police that a friend, since jailed for bringing drugs into Hong Kong, introduced her to the group.
She said someone was going to contact her about picking up the drugs once she arrived in Australia, and she was to be paid about $5000 to $7000.
Magistrate Dan Muling remanded Demirkiran to appear in the County Court in October.
Kate Hagan
July 3, 2009
AN AUSTRIAN woman has pleaded guilty to importing a commercial quantity of the drug "ice" into Australia concealed in Toblerone and Ferrero Rocher chocolates.
Nicole Demirkiran, 31, was found with 0.2 grams of the methamphetamine in a plastic zip-lock bag in her handbag during a search by customs officers after she arrived at Melbourne airport from Thailand on March 11.
But X-rays of her baggage and sniffer dogs failed to uncover a larger stash inside the chocolate wrappers, which she was carrying in a duty-free bag.
Federal police charged Demirkiran over the ice found in her handbag, and she was released on bail. They later found 1366 grams in the chocolate wrappers in her hotel room after a tip from customs about drugs being concealed in a similar manner previously.
The drug was wrapped in plastic, then covered with foil inside the four triangular Toblerone packages. It was divided between 52 of 60 Ferrero Rocher chocolates contained in two boxes, encased in plastic and resealed in the chocolates' gold foil.
Demirkiran pleaded guilty in Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday to a charge of importing a commercial quantity of ice.
Demirkiran initially told police she had bought the chocolates from a man at the airport as a present for her husband and four-year-old son.
She later admitted accepting them from members of a criminal group from Austria.
Demirkiran told police that a friend, since jailed for bringing drugs into Hong Kong, introduced her to the group.
She said someone was going to contact her about picking up the drugs once she arrived in Australia, and she was to be paid about $5000 to $7000.
Magistrate Dan Muling remanded Demirkiran to appear in the County Court in October.
