Move FM Australian News

PERTH, Western Australia – A 40-year-old Malaysian man was scheduled to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on Friday charged over the alleged importation of 3.9 kilograms of methylamphetamine (ice) hidden in the walls of an esky.

The man arrived at Perth International Airport on 27 October 2018 on a flight from Kuala Lumpur and was subjected to a full baggage examination by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers.

A trace detection technology swab from the man’s esky returned an alleged presumptive positive result for meth and a subsequent x-ray showed a number of packages hidden in the esky.

The man’s visa was cancelled and he was arrested by the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

He was charged with  importing a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug. The maximum penalty for this offence is life imprisonment.

“Our officers are highly trained and use a range of assessment techniques to identify travellers of interest and then utilise cutting edge x-ray and detection technology to identify prohibited items crossing the border,” ABF Regional Commander for WA, Rod O’Donnell said Friday.

AFP State Manager Western Australia Greg Harrigan said Australia’s strong economy compared to the rest of the world makes the country an attractive market for illicit drugs and organised criminals from around the world.

“Drugs are a great burden on our community, especially through drug–related crime and the associated health and social costs. This arrest shows that police and our partners remain diligent in identifying, arresting and prosecuting those involved in this type of activity,” he said in a statement released by the Australian Federal Police on Friday.