Man before court in Adelaide on cocaine smuggling charges

A 24-year-old Brazilian national will appear before the Adelaide Magistrates Court today charged with attempting to import approximately five kilograms of cocaine into Australia.

Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) officers selected the man for a baggage examination after he arrived on a flight from Dubai overnight (21 April 2014).

When ACBPS officers examined the man’s luggage, a quantity of white powder was found in the lining of two of his bags.

The man was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), who later charged him with importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug contrary to section 307.2 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).

ACBPS Acting National Manager Airport Operations, Dean Hogarth, said Customs and Border Protection is committed to stopping illegal drugs reaching our streets.

“No matter how these dangerous and prohibited substances are concealed, our officers are alert to threats to the Australian community, and are dedicated to intercepting and seizing them at the border,” Mr Hogarth said.

AFP Detective Superintendent Shane McLennan said that criminal networks continue to adopt this crude smuggling method.

“The AFP works closely with ACBPS to intercept importations such as this. It doesn’t matter which airport you elect to travel through, we have a great deal of experience in detecting and investigating people seeking to import drugs concealed in their luggage,” said Detective Superintendent McLennan.

The maximum penalty for this offence is 25 years imprisonment and/or an $850,000 fine.

http://newsroom.customs.gov.au/releases/man-before-court-in-adelaide-on-cocaine-smuggling-charges