A 26-year-old Thai national working as an international airline employee has been arrested and charged after allegedly attempting to smuggle heroin into Melbourne. The woman was on an international flight that arrived at Melbourne Airport on Thursday last week. When her baggage was screened by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers, anomalies were detected.
X-ray reveals heroin concealed in tote bags
An X-ray examination of 12 tote bags in the woman's luggage revealed about 1kg of white powder concealed within the lining. Testing allegedly returned a positive reading for heroin with an estimated street value of $500,000. Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers were called in and seized the bags.
Charges and maximum penalties
The woman was arrested and charged with two offences: importing and possessing drugs. Each offence carries a maximum penalty of 25 years' imprisonment. AFP noted that criminal syndicates have previously targeted trusted insiders, including airline crew, to smuggle illicit substances into Australia.
ABF statement on trusted insiders
ABF Commander Clint Sims said: “Anyone attempting to import illicit drugs into Australia, regardless of rank or position, will be targeted and face the full force of the law. ABF officers use intelligence-led targeting and a range of detection capabilities to identify those individuals who attempt to breach our border controls. The ABF remains alert to the threat of trusted insiders and will continue to identify and disrupt this activity to maintain the integrity of our border and protect the Australian community.”
Court appearance
The woman was remanded in custody and is expected to appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 14.
