S'porean charged in Australia with importing 40kg of meth, cocaine into Sydney

A Singaporean man who allegedly brought 40kg of drugs into Sydney on Feb 20 has been charged in Australia.

In a statement on Feb 25, the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force said the 55-year-old allegedly imported 32kg of methamphetamine and 8kg of cocaine hidden in his luggage.

He had initially claimed he was not travelling with checked luggage, after Australian Border Force officers stopped him when he arrived in Sydney on a flight from Malaysia on Feb 20.

He was then cleared to depart Sydney Airport.

Officers later found two suitcases abandoned on a luggage carousel, allegedly with identification tags in the man's name. They were found to have contained about 32kg of methamphetamine and 8kg of cocaine.

The matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police, who seized the luggage and began the search for the Singaporean suspect.

He was found to have travelled to Adelaide, and Australian Federal Police officers arrested him on Feb 21 at Adelaide Airport, where he was attempting to board a flight to Malaysia.

The man appeared at the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Feb 24 and was subsequently extradited to New South Wales.

He is scheduled to appear at the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney on Feb 25.

He has been charged with two counts of importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug and faces the maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The Australian authorities said the seized methamphetamine has an estimated street value of A$29.6 million (S$25.1 million) and could have been sold as about 320,000 street deals.

The seized cocaine has an estimated street value of A$2.6 million and could have been sold as about 40,000 street deals.

Australian Border Force Superintendent Elke West said this was yet another significant detection of illicit drugs made by the force's officers at Sydney Airport.

He added: "Our officers continue to strike the right balance between facilitating the millions of legitimate travellers that come through Sydney Airport each year, while being alert to criminal syndicates attempting to use airports as a gateway to illicit drug importation.

"Our message is clear, we will uncover these attempts at every opportunity and will work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure those responsible face the full force of the law."