A 24-year-old Canadian woman appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court yesterday, charged with allegedly importing 14.4 kilograms of methamphetamine into Australia via Fiji.
Australian Border Force (ABF) officers reportedly discovered the illicit drugs on July 28, 2024, after selecting the woman for a baggage examination upon her arrival at Brisbane International Airport from Fiji. Her journey began in Vancouver, Canada.
The methamphetamine was reportedly hidden in plastic packages wrapped in towels soaked in vinegar and layered with coffee beans.
Tests on the packages returned a presumptive positive result for methamphetamine.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) charged the woman with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, an offense under section 307.1 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth), which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
This quantity of methamphetamine could potentially be divided into nearly 145,000 street deals, valued at approximately AU$13.4 million.
Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Pio Tikoduadua responded to the incident, emphasizing the ongoing challenges in tackling the illicit drug trade and the need for stringent border control measures.
He acknowledged the case involving the Canadian national and praised the Australian Border Force for their vigilance and thorough inspection processes that led to the drug discovery. Tikoduadua highlighted the importance of international cooperation in combating drug trafficking and reaffirmed the Fijian Department of Immigration’s commitment to enhancing border security and working closely with global partners, especially Australia, to address these issues.