Woman Charged for Importing 8Kg of Heroin in Luggage
A 28-year-old Smithfield woman was scheduled to appear in Parramatta Local Court this week charged by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) with allegedly importing approximately eight kilograms of heroin into Australia.
Based on intelligence, Customs and Border Protection officers stopped the woman for questioning when she arrived at Sydney International Airport on a flight from Kuala Lumpur.
Following questioning, Customs and Border Protection officers undertook an examination of the woman’s baggage. During the examination, officers identified anomalies in the structure of the passenger’s suitcases.
Further examinations revealed the woman’s luggage concealed approximately eight kilograms of a white powder-like substance which tested positive to heroin.
Customs and Border Protection officers referred the matter to the AFP and the woman was later charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely heroin, contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.
The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment and/or an $825,000 fine.
Customs and Border Protection Acting National Manager Airport Operations North, Allison Denny-Collins, said the seizure highlighted the effectiveness of an intelligence-led approach to targeting people and goods arriving into Australia.
“This is another example of the outstanding work our highly-skilled officers do, in collaboration with partner law enforcement agencies, to protect the Australian community from these dangerous drugs,” Ms Denny-Collins said.
AFP Manager Aviation Operations Michael Chew said the seizure was further proof that the AFP is continuing to work closely with its partner agencies to stop the importation of drugs into our airports and onto our streets.
Further forensic testing will be undertaken to confirm the exact weight and purity of the substance.
Source: AFP
Net News Publisher for Australian News
Category: Oceania
