In December 2013, Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) officers at the NSW Air Cargo facility decided to examine a consignment of two boxes from the United States. They were labelled as nutrition vitamins.
On further investigation, it was found that the boxes contained 735 vitamin bottles with more than 48,500 capsules with a white powdery substance. Chemical analysis of the white powdery substance showed it to be methamphetamine.
On the basis of this, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has charged a 25-year-old Canley Heights man. Charge levelled against him is attempt to possess approximately 29kg of methamphetamine disguised as vitamin capsules.
Methamphetamine – meth for short – is a very addictive stimulant drug. It is a powder that can be made into a pill or a shiny rock (called a crystal). The powder can be eaten or snorted up the nose. It can also be mixed with liquid and injected into your body with a needle.
Crystal methamphetamine (‘ice’) usually comes as small chunky clear crystals that look like ice. It can also come as white or brownish crystal-like powder with a strong smell and bitter taste. Crystal meth is smoked in a small glass pipe.
After the substance was identified as a banned drug, Australian Federal Police (AFP) took carriage of the investigation and later on executed a search warrant in Canley Heights, after which the man was arrested. Jennifer Hurst, Manager Crime Operations warned smugglers that this arrest is a strong reminder of the risks associated with attempting to import illicit drugs into Australia. Even though the smugglers are using sophisticated efforts to evade detection, Australian authorities will catch them and make them pay for their crimes.
On the basis of the charges levelled the offender can get a maximum penalty of 25 years imprisonment and or a fine of up to $1,275,000. Charges are one count of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, contrary to section 307.5 by virtue of section 11.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.
