An elderly New Zealand national faces life in prison after being charged with importing 5kg of heroin – worth more than $2m – in his luggage while flying into Australia.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) charged the man, 70, with serious drug import offences after the drugs were allegedly discovered inside his baggage at the weekend.
Investigations began after Australian Border Force officials examined the man’s luggage at Melbourne airport after he flew in from Manila on Saturday morning.
Police allege anomalies were found in his brown suitcase and a handbag belonging to the passenger.
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Further examinations of both items allegedly revealed a white powdery substance that tested positive for the presence of heroin.
The man was arrested by federal police in the terminal.
Police further allege the amount of heroin has a street value of more than $2m and could have accounted for 25,000 individual hits.
The man has been charged with one count each of importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.
The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.
Following a brief appearance at court on Saturday, his matter will return to court on February 2 next year.
In a statement, AFP Detective Superintendent Anthony Hall said: “We remain committed to targeting, identifying and prosecuting transnational serious and organised criminals attempting to operate in our country and targeting us from offshore, along with the alleged drug mules trying to smuggle these drugs into our communities.”
“This arrest should serve as yet another clear warning to anyone attempting to bring illicit drugs into Australia – you will be caught and you will face the full force of the law,” he said.