Routine x-ray of a consignment revealed anomalies in a consignment at the Brisbane International Mail Facility. Following this, Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) officers selected two packages for examination. During examination they found methamphetamine concealed in audio equipment. Two Chinese men aged 23 and 25 were charged and arrested in this connection.
Officers of ACBPS found car power amplifiers with bags of a suspicious white crystalline substance. This was hidden in the place where the circuit boards should have been. Chemical tests and analysis showed that the white powder was approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine.
The case was subsequently transferred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for further investigation and follow up. Following this AFP conducted a controlled delivery to the South Brisbane Post Office. Two Chinese men came to collect the packages and were arrested. Involvement of any Brisbane based customs broker is not made available by the investigation team.
Search was conducted in a residence in Southport on the Gold Coast and found empty boxes of amplifiers. This was almost similar to the packages intercepted by ACBPS. Here also the investigating officers found clip-seal plastic bags containing traces of a crystalline substance, electronic scales and two metal bowls containing traces of a crystalline substance.
The two men arrested charged with one count of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of border controlled drug contrary to section 307.5 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) and one count of importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drug contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth). For the charges made against the accused, maximum penalty is life imprisonment and or 7,500 penalty units.
According to Dr Ben Evans, ACBPS Regional Commander Queensland, Customs and Border Protection is committed to stopping illegal drugs reaching our streets. Highly trained officers have the intelligence, technology and expertise to stop these shipments at the border.
