A Victorian man has been sentenced to nine years and 10 months' imprisonment by the Perth District Court today (7 February, 2025), for importing almost 5kg of methamphetamine through Perth Airport in 2022.
The man, now 53, pleaded guilty in November, 2024, and must serve a non-parole period of five years and nine months' imprisonment.
The AFP charged the man in August, 2022, after Australian Border Force (ABF) officers discovered the illicit drugs after he arrived on a flight from overseas.
ABF officers identified anomalies in the walls of the suitcases when they were x-rayed during a baggage examination. Further examination uncovered strip chambers filled with white powder, which returned positive results for methamphetamine.
The total amount was 4.9kg of high purity methamphetamine with an estimated street value of more than $4.5 million.
The man had told AFP officers he was provided an airline ticket in return for transporting the suitcases to Australia for a person he had met overseas.
He was charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code (Cth).
AFP Inspector Chris Colley said if this quantity of methamphetamine made it onto the streets, it could have been sold to about 49,000 people as 0.1 gram street level deals.
"The AFP works closely with the ABF and international law enforcement agencies to share intelligence and disrupt anyone involved in the supply of illicit drugs," Insp Colley said.
"We are doing whatever we can to protect communities in Australia and overseas and stop criminals from profiting at their expense."
ABF Acting Superintendent Dean Simpson said frontline ABF officers were well aware of the creative attempts criminals used to conceal illegal imports and were highly skilled in detecting drug importations.
"Criminals target Australia as a lucrative market to make a profit and reinvest in further criminal activities," a/ Supt Simpson said.
"It takes a network to break a network. Collaboration with both domestic and international law enforcement partners is essential in the fight against organised crime."
