Officers from the Australian Border Force (ABF) have been kept busy recently with a number of record seizures. Here’s a summary of four latest arrests and discoveries.
1. Record illegal tobacco find
Sydney’s Port Botany was the background for the discovery of a record haul of illegal tobacco. Officers unearthed a whopping 47 tonnes that was packed into two shipping containers from Indonesia. A further 24 tonnes of the same loose leaf tobacco was found in another shipping container that had not yet departed from Indonesia.
On the black market, the estimated street value of this smuggled cargo is AUD40 million.
Whilst investigations into the contraband are continuing, ABF have a hunch on who is responsible for the importation.
Image and source credit: ABC News – Siobhan Fogarty / ABF
2. Till drug import do us part
A husband and wife team have been sentenced to seven years in jail for importing approx 2.6 kgs of pseudoephedrine in March 2012. The drugs, a border controlled precursor, were concealed in an import aircargo shipment from China. Arriving into Melbourne airport, officers examined the shipment of insulated drink flasks, discovering the chemicals.
“The ABF and its partner agencies target and seize all kinds of illegal importations no matter their size or how they are concealed,” ABF Regional Commander for Victoria Don Smith said.
Source and image credit: ABF
3. Fifth and final
A 26-year -old man has recently been sentenced for his involvement in a 2013 importation of precursor chemicals from China into Australia. The man was the fifth and final person to be charged after officers intercepted a series of aircargo shipments in Sydney over a three month period. Approx 60kgs of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and ContacNT was discovered during the investigations.
“ABF officers take their role stopping the illegal importation of dangerous drugs and precursors very seriously,” ABF NSW Regional Commander Tim Fitzgerald said.
4. Opium discovery
Two men will face court charged in relation to the importation of opium concealed inside machine parts. The Iranian nationals were arrested after attempting to access the machinery. A total of 19kgs of opium was uncovered over 6 different shipments.
“People or groups attempting scatter importations should be aware that law enforcement only needs one seizure – once facilitators are identified, the AFP will always work cooperatively with Australian and international partners to identify and investigate other importations, as was the case in this matter.” AFP Acting National Manager Crime Operations Paul Osborne said.
The Australian Border Force (ABF) and other organisations are hard at work keeping these life destroying drugs off our streets. And for that, we thank you.
