Two Japanese men have been sentenced to a combined 12 years imprisonment over a 2018 attempted importation of 2.2kgs kilograms each of pure methamphetamine through Melbourne Airport.
Both men were arrested on Friday 26 October 2018, when they were selected for a baggage examination after arriving at Melbourne International Airport on a flight from Bangkok. During the examination, Australian Border Force (ABF) officers noted inconsistencies in X-ray images of their luggage.
Holes were drilled into the suitcases, which revealed a white crystalline substance in the lining. Testing of this substance returned a presumptive positive result for methamphetamine (ice).
Forensic analysis determined the pure weight of both seizures of meth to be more than four kilograms. This equates to approximately 40,000 street deals.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers charged the two men with importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drug, contrary to s 307.1 Criminal Code Act 1995 (CTH).
Both men, aged 23, received a maximum sentence at the Melbourne County Court of 6 years’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 3 years.
