MELBOURNE: A British man has been arrested at Melbourne Airport after allegedly swallowing 39 pellets of cocaine in an attempt to smuggle them in from California.
The 52-year-old arrived in Melbourne on a flight from Los Angeles on September 16 and was selected for further examination after Australian Border Force (ABF) officers became suspicious.
He was found with about 280 grams of cocaine in his stomach and was taken to hospital.
The Brit has been charged with importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug and appeared before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 21.
ABF Regional Commander James Watson said his officers were experts at identifying a range of concealment methods.
“We have sophisticated technology which will detect those who try to smuggle drugs internally,” Mr Watson said. “The individual has put his own life at risk through this highly dangerous method of attempting to smuggle narcotics.
“Even though the man has survived this dangerous method of importation, he now faces very serious charges which could result in penalties of up to 25 years in jail.”
AFP Commander Paul Osborne, manager crime operations, said: “It is disappointing to continue to see the extent to which individuals will go to import drugs in to Australia.
“Not only are they putting their own lives at risk, they are endangering the lives of others with the product they are looking to sell.”
