An Australian man was allegedly arrested with tens of thousands of dollars in cash and a ziplock bag full of drugs at a busy airport.
Australian Federal Police officers intercepted the Victorian man, 47, after he failed a security check at Perth Airport on September 17.
Upon searching their bags, officers allegedly found $70,000 in suspected illicit cash, a glass pipe and a sealed bag containing a crystalline substance.
When officers tested the substance, preliminary results revealed that it was methamphetamine.
The man’s ticket was booked in someone else’s name and he was allegedly planning to fly to New South Wales before passing the failed security check.
Body camera footage of an officer emptying his suitcases showed him sitting with his hands clasped as several large white packages were removed from his backpack.
He faces four charges that carry a combined maximum sentence of eight years.
The man faced Perth Magistrates Court for the first time on September 18 and is expected to return to court on Friday.
AFP intercepted a Victorian man, aged 47, after failing a security check at Perth Airport at 11.30pm on September 17 (pictured is footage from an officer’s body camera).
Searching the man’s purse, officers allegedly found $70,000 in suspected illicit cash, a glass pipe and a sealed bag containing a crystalline substance (pictured).
The 47-year-old man was charged with one count of dealing in property reasonably suspected to be the proceeds of crime. INew count of false identification information.
He was also charged with one count of possession of a prohibited drug and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
AFP Acting Superintendent Shona Davisa urged Australian travelers to be vigilant Suspicious or unusual people at airports at all times.
“The AFP is working with Australia’s major airports to ensure domestic and international flights are not used as transit routes for criminal activity,” he said.
“Unexplained sources of cash are often a sign of underlying criminal activity and the AFP has the ability to take people to court to justify that wealth.”
If anyone sees someone acting strangely at an airport, they are advised to Call Airport Guard or notify a Uniformed Airport Police officer.
