A man has been charged after police intercepted 100kg of methamphetamine hidden inside dozens of leather sandals.
The Australian Federal Police launched Operation Birkin in April after Border Force officers intercepted a shipment of six boxes from Thailand.
After the boxes arrived at Sydney’s Port Botany, officers found 100kg of methamphetamine hidden in the soles of black leather shoes.
A man has been charged after Federal Police and Australian Border Force intercepted 100 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden inside leather sandals.
Researchers have yet to determine the exact purity and weight of the substance in the sandals.
The shipment was headed to a storage facility in western Sydney used by a carrier, according to an AFP statement.
During the investigation, the AFP carried out a “controlled operation” in which officers allegedly observed a Malaysian national attempting to collect the boxes using a forged ID on May 6.
The man was unable to collect the delivery before he was seen driving south on the Hume Highway towards Melbourne.
Investigators located the man on Thursday and executed a search warrant at his home in the Melbourne suburb of Burwood.
Two mobile devices were seized that investigators believe were used to facilitate the importation and false license.
A 49-year-old man was arrested and two mobile devices were seized that, according to investigators, were used to facilitate the importation and false license.
The man appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday morning and was refused bail. He will return to court on August 30.
Police also seized several electronic devices that will be examined.
The 49-year-old man was charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Researchers have yet to determine the exact purity and weight of the substance in the sandals.
The man appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday morning and was refused bail.
He will return to court on August 30.
AFP Sergeant Alex Drummond said the AFP is committed to ensuring dangerous drugs are stopped from reaching Australian streets.
“The AFP will continue to work tirelessly to keep these dangerous drugs off the streets and ensure those bent on poisoning the community see justice,” he said.
Six boxes from Thailand arrived at Sydney’s Port Botany, where officers found 100 kilos of methamphetamine hidden in the soles of black leather sandals.
The 49-year-old man was charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
‘We will allege that this man was willing to drive to Sydney at short notice to collect this shipment, but the AFP stopped the distribution of these drugs, preventing millions of dollars from entering the criminal economy. ‘
ABF inspector Marc Rea said the quick turnaround following detection was a testament to the strength of the agency partnership.
“Organized criminal syndicates are doing everything they can to smuggle these dangerous substances across our border,” he said.
‘ABF officers quickly noted anomalies within this shipment, identifying a large quantity of methamphetamine equivalent to approximately one million individual street sales.
‘That’s $92 million worth of this insidious drug that won’t end up on our streets. “ABF officers will continue to work closely with our federal and state partners to keep Australians safe.”
