CANBERRA: Australian Federal Police arrested a Perth man who tried to import 16kg of methamphetamine from China in a shipment concealed in the steel framing of two treadmills. The 37-year-old and an Adelaide man, 27, will face court in South Australia charged over their alleged roles in facilitating the importation.
Authorities launched an investigation in December after Customs officers allegedly discovered the drugs when they inspected two treadmills being sent to an address in Sydney. Australian Federal Police officers then began a controlled delivery operation, switching the drugs for another substance.
Earlier this month, the accused men allegedly arranged for the equipment to be re-delivered to an Adelaide property, where the Perth man would take possession of the consignment. AFP officers in Adelaide mounted a covert operation and yesterday arrested both men. A later search of the 27-year-old’s Adelaide home allegedly uncovered other evidence relating to the drug shipment and $14,500 cash. AFP Adelaide Cdr Matthew Varley said investigations were continuing to identify other members involved in the alleged criminal enterprise.
“Preventing 16kg of a dangerous and addictive drug from reaching the community is a positive result and we will be liaising with our colleagues interstate and internationally to further investigate and disrupt the organisers of this importation,” he claimed. Australian Customs and Border Protection Service central region Regional Commander, James Watson, praised the officers who detected the drugs and stopped them from entering Australia. “The amount of harm these drugs could potentially have caused the community cannot be understated,” he said. “This seizure is another example of the excellent border protection work our officers undertake every day.” Both men face one count each of importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug and they are expected to appear in Adelaide Magistrate’s Court today.
