Two men have faced court over an alleged attempt to collect 13kg of methamphetamine concealed inside a vehicle transmission shipped from Germany.
The drugs were found by Australian Border Force officers examining a vehicle transmission inside a shipping container that arrived in Sydney on July 27. Inside, they discovered five plastic bags containing a white powder that tested positive for methamphetamine.
Controlled delivery leads to arrests
Investigators replaced the drugs with an inert substance and carried out a controlled delivery to an industrial site in Girraween, 30km west of Sydney, on August 6, in an effort to identify who would collect the shipment.
Australian Federal Police allege a 41-year-old Oatlands man and an 18-year-old Fairfield Heights man worked together to collect the shipment. It is alleged the teenager used false details to accept the delivery before transporting the transmission to Greystanes, where it was intended to be handed to the older man.
Arrests and charges
AFP officers arrested the 41-year-old at the Greystanes location. Police say the teenager and a third man fled, with the 18-year-old arrested after a short foot pursuit. Investigations to identify the third man are continuing.
Both men have been charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, while the older man also faces a charge of importing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine. The offences carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
They appeared before the NSW Bail Division Court on 7 August and will return at a later date.
Police comment on concealment methods
AFP Detective Superintendent Morgen Blunden said criminal groups continued to use complex concealments, but law enforcement remained focused on disrupting drug importations. "Criminal groups are motivated by profit, but show little regard for the devastation illicit drugs can cause in Australian communities," he said.
ABF Superintendent Asha Patwardhan said the detection showed the importance of targeted profiling and specialist screening. "Organised crime groups are constantly evolving their concealment techniques, but so too are our intelligence, targeting and detection capabilities," she said. "ABF officers use targeted, intelligence-based profiling to identify high-risk consignments, and sophisticated technology to inspect them for any irregularities."
