Odd reason for alleged gun smuggler’s visit

An American backpacker who allegedly landed at Australia’s busiest international airport with a 24-karat gold-plated handgun worth $2000 in her luggage told officers she came to attend “clown school”, a court has been told.

Liliana Goodson appeared before Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday for a special fixture hearing after pleading not guilty to two charges of intentionally importing prohibited goods, being both a firearm and ammunition.

The already heavily tattooed joint American-Peruvian citizen entered the courthouse clutching a stuffed dachshund dog toy and with new markings on her cheeks and chin, including large red colourings around her lips and chin.

The Florida woman was arrested at Sydney’s bustling Kingsford Smith International Airport in April 2023 after officers attached to the Australian Border Force allegedly discovered the Colt-45-style pistol in her luggage.

Police allege they detected the garish pistol, which was not loaded, as it passed through the X-ray machine in luggage belonging to the 29-year-old, who had recently arrived on an international flight from Los Angeles.

Taken into custody by ABF officers, Ms Goodson told investigators in an electronically recorded interview, later played in court, that she was a student and had come to Australia to try to “get into the clown institute in Sydney”.

Alternatively, Ms Goodson said she would “try going through the acting route” and also went by the name River and Clover. The rest of the two-hour interview is expected to be played later on Wednesday afternoon.

One of the interviewers, ABF investigator Hannah Ditirech gave evidence that investigators located the gun in a small blue, plastic case, and inside it were markings bearing the name Colt and a receipt for the pistol.

In her opening, the police prosecutor told magistrate Susan Horan she would allege Ms Goodson had searched on Google “can I have a gun in a suitcase” and made notes in an app on her phone to a similar effect.

The court was told Ms Goodson had intended to stay in Australia for a year and had allegedly told ABF officers upon arrival that ammunition would arrive in Australia with further belongings coming from the United States.

In his brief, one sentence opening, Ms Goodson’s lawyer told the court the “issue in dispute” in the hearing would be that she “never intended to import a firearm”, stating she was suffering from drug and mental health issues.

More to come

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