Durban - A man has been arrested after police intercepted drugs concealed in soup packets and curry sachets. The accused faces 12 charges related to drug trafficking, including additional drug charges and charges relating to dealing with cash suspected of being proceeds of crime.
In a joint statement, Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Border Force (ABF) said the drugs were being imported through the mail from Northern Ireland to Western Australia.
"The AFP launched an investigation on March 12, after ABF officers in Perth examined an international mail consignment and allegedly found about 561 grams of cocaine concealed in soup sachets. Later that month, ABF officers in Sydney intercepted a second package addressed to the same Scarborough residence and allegedly found about 400g of cocaine concealed in curry sauce sachets," the statement read.
The authorities said a search at two properties in Scarborough and Perth turned up money, a cellphone, 28g of cocaine, 5g methamphetamine, 8g MDMA and 15g of cannabis from the Perth address, and allegedly found packaging at the Scarborough home which had traces of what they suspect to be illicit drugs.
Police have also arrested a second suspect linked to the properties searched.
Police also seized more drugs in further searches.
"While many air mail or air cargo imports may seem like relatively small amounts of illicit substances, combined they can equate to millions of individual street deals and can cause significant harm," said AFP inspector, Matt Taylor.
He added that across Australia, there were 1 800 cocaine-related hospitalisations in 2020-21 – almost five people each day on average. There were 12 400 hospitalisations over the same period related to methamphetamine use – 33 people each day on average.
Both men are due back in court on later dates.
IOL