(LAWFUEL) – Customs and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) have foiled an attempt to smuggle more than one kilogram of heroin into Australia from Vietnam.
A 24-year-old Chester Hill man will appear in Sydney Central Local Court today charged with attempting to import heroin allegedly concealed inside packets of lollies.
The investigation began on 3 September when Customs officers at the Sydney International Mail Centre intercepted a parcel sent from Vietnam to an address in Bass Hill, New South Wales. Upon closer inspection of the package, officers found a quantity of white powder hidden inside the lollies. Customs referred the parcel to the AFP. A total of 216 individual lollies were found to be concealing the white powder, which
weighed an estimated total of 1080 grams. Presumptive testing of the substance indicated the presence of heroin. The substance is currently undergoing forensic testing to determine its exact weight and purity.
AFP agents located and interviewed the man and charged him with importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug, namely heroin, contrary to the Criminal Code Act 1995.
Customs National Manager Cargo Operations North, Catherine Asbridge, said the drug concealment was particularly elaborate and showed the lengths that some traffickers would go to in order to smuggle drugs into Australia. “As Customs and other law enforcement agencies persist in detecting the many and varied methods of smuggling drugs, traffickers are trying new and creative concealment methods,” Ms Asbridge said.
“This result illustrates the efforts of Customs to effectively intercept and prevent illegal drugs from reaching the Australian community.”
The maximum penalty for this offence is 25 years imprisonment and/or a $550,000
fine.
