Crime syndicates have devised creative ways to smuggle drugs into the country and take some cream off Australia's "highly lucrative" narcotics market, according to Australian Federal Police (AFP).
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Drugs have been found in window frames, a coffee grinder, a fleet of buses and inside detergent bottles as criminals attempt to sneak shipments across Australian borders.
"Criminals may work hard to plan and execute elaborate schemes, but the AFP and its partner agencies work harder to detect and seize these concealments," AFP detective superintendent Kristie Cressy said.
Inside window frames
Border Force officers found 100 kilograms of methamphetamine allegedly imported inside window frames en route to Australia from Mexico.
A shipping container, that arrived in Sydney on January 26, was examined by x-ray and officers allegedly found white powder "concealed beneath the surface" of the frames.
"This amount of methamphetamine could have been distributed in the Australian community as about one million street deals worth an estimated $90 million," detective superintendent Cressy said.
No arrests have been made and police continue to investigate the shipment.
Liquid detergent bottles
A pallet of bottles labelled "ultra concentrate detergent" was stopped at the border in January 2024 and an inspection found it allegedly contained 132 litres of liquid methamphetamine.
Forensic testing allegedly found that 21 of the 319 bottles in the shipment contained the liquid drug with a street value of $30 million, police said.
The illicit drugs were seized and the rest of the shipment continued its journey to a storage facility in Melbourne's south-east where a man was arrested.
A 28-year-old British man was charged with the attempted possession and trafficking of a commercial quantity of methamphetamine.
Police said the investigation was ongoing as officers searched for the criminal syndicate responsible for the import.
Industrial coffee grinder
A suspicious industrial coffee grinder landed at Brisbane Airport in January 2024 from Guatemala to Mexico and Hong Kong on a commercial flight.
An inspection found 91.4 kilograms of methamphetamine allegedly hidden inside the grinder with an estimated street value of $80 million.
Officers hatched a plan to replace the drugs with a "harmless substance" and the grinder was re-assambled to catch the alleged traffickers.
The coffee grinder was delivered to a Sydney home in the suburb of Cabramatta where two people were arrested and charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.
The daunting prospect of life imprisonment, the crime's maximum sentence, allegedly prompted one suspect to jump his back fence as officers arrived.
Police said the alleged escape attempt was unsuccessful. Both men face court on March 28.
Luxury buses
An international shipment of 13 luxury buses was searched by border police on January 28 and 139 kilograms of cocaine was allegedly found inside "a number of packages in four of the buses".
The alleged drug packages were removed and the buses continued their journey to Adelaide.
Police monitored the buses in Adelaide and arrested two Victorian men who allegedly forced their way onboard and retrieved the fake consignment on February 3, 2024.
Help is available:
- For free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drug treatment services call the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015.
- Access free 24/7 drug and alcohol counselling online at counsellingonline.org.au.
- For information about drug and alcohol addiction treatment or support, go to turningpoint.org.au.
Anna Houlahan
Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Reach out with news or updates to anna.houlahan@austcommunitymedia.com.au
