Wild find inside US woman’s luggage

Australian Border Force (ABF) officers made a wild find inside the luggage of a US woman who arrived at Adelaide Airport from overseas.

ABF officers selected her luggage for a check when the woman, 60, arrived on an international flight on Friday.

Officers found two vacuum-sealed plastic bags of clothing inside one of her suitcases, and allege there was a white powdery substance wrapped inside the clothing.

A presumptive test found the substance was likely methamphetamine.

The incident was reported to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) who conducted a further investigation and questioned the woman.

Investigators allege about 2kg of meth was found in the woman’s luggage, which was seized to undergo further forensic tests.

The woman was charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth) which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

AFP acting superintendent Simon Lalic said they worked tirelessly to combat the supply of illicit drugs into Australia and were relentless in disrupting all levels of the drug trade.

“Unfortunately, the market for illicit drugs in Australia is strong,” he said.

“Across Australia, 27 people on average were admitted to hospital every day in 2021-22 for methamphetamine-related issues,” he said.

“That has an impact on the health system that can negatively affect the entire community.”

ABF chief superintendent Bart England said they were cracking down on the global criminal networks that fuelled Australian deaths due to drugs.

“Methamphetamine is an incredibly destructive drug,” he said.

“ It is extremely addictive. It rips apart families and does untold damage to those who become trapped in its grip.

“Keeping illicit substances out of the hands of criminals who try to make a profit at the expense of vulnerable members of the community is a high priority for the ABF.

“Our message is clear: whatever illicit substance criminals try to import, and however they try to hide it, we will detect it and they will face significant penalties.”

The woman was due to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday charged with trafficking more than 2kgs of methamphetamine into Australia.