Australian Customs and Border Protection Services (ACBPS) joined hands with the Australian Crime Commission (ACC) and Victorian Police late last week to arrest a 33 year old Kings Park (Victoria) man after the seizure of concealed methamphetamine.
This operation began on the 25 July at the Melbourne Container Examination Facility when officers placed a hold on a shipment. This consignment consisted of 70 packages manifested to contain porcelain toilets.
The shipment was x-rayed, with two boxes being separated. The boxes were then physically examined, with 17 packages of a crystalline substance being located in between the boxes. Each package weighed 3 kilograms. Preliminary testing indicated a positive result for methamphetamine.
Australian Customs advise that the seizure, approx 50kgs is equivalent to approx 500,000 street deals with an estimated value of approx AUD50 million.
The Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (JOCTF – which was established to target organized crime operating in Victoria) took over the investigation, and it will now be alleged in court that the boxes containing the illegal drugs were then moved to the 33 year old man’s mother’s residence.
ACBPS Regional Commander Victoria, Don Smith, said the detection by ACBPS officers has dealt a significant blow to the illicit drug market
“Customs and Border Protection officers are alert to all kinds of drug concealment techniques and are committed to working with federal and state law enforcement partners to disrupt this criminal activity,” Mr Smith said.
The man will face the Melbourne Magistrate’s court charged with the following:
– Importing a commercial quantity border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to subsection 307.1(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth)
– Attempting to possess commercial quantities of border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to sections 307.5 and 11.1 of the Criminal Code (Cth)
The maximum penalty for these offences is life imprisonment.
Source: www.customs.gov.au
