Cops’ shock find in man’s sandals

A man has been charged after police intercepted 100kg of methamphetamine hidden inside dozens of leather sandals.

The Australian Federal Police launched Operation Birkin in April after Border Force officials intercepted a consignment of six boxes from Thailand.

After the boxes arrived in Sydney’s Port Botany, officers found 100kg of meth concealed in the soles of black leather shoes.

The consignment was addressed to a storage facility in western Sydney used by a freight forwarder, a statement from the AFP said.

During the investigation, the AFP undertook a “controlled operation” where officers allegedly observed a Malaysian national attempting to collect the boxes using a forged ID on May 6.

The man was unable to collect the consignment before he was seen driving south on the Hume Highway toward Melbourne.

Investigators located the man on Thursday and executed a search warrant at his home in the Melbourne suburb of Burwood.

Two mobile devices were seized, with investigators alleging they were used to facilitate the importation as well as the fake license.

Police also seized a number of electronic devices which are due to be examined.

The 49-year-old man was charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of meth, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

Investigators are yet to determine the exact purity and weight of the substance in the sandals.

AFP Sergeant Alex Drummond said the AFP is committed to ensuring dangerous drugs are prevented from making it onto Australian streets.

“The AFP will continue to work tirelessly to keep these dangerous drugs off the streets and ensure those hellbent on poisoning the community see justice,” he said.

“We will allege this man was willing to drive up to Sydney at short notice to collect this consignment but the AFP stopped the onward distribution of these drugs, preventing millions of dollars from entering the criminal economy. ”

ABF Inspector Marc Rea said the quick result following the detection was testament to the strength of the joint-agency partnership.

“Organised criminal syndicates are trying whatever they can to sneak these dangerous substances past our border,” he said.

“ABF officers were quick to note the anomalies within this consignment, identifying a large quantity of methamphetamine which equates to approximately one million individual street deals.

“That’s $92 million worth of this insidious drug that won’t end up on our streets. ABF officers will continue to work closely with our federal and state partners to keep Australians safe.”