A man from the Hunter region is set to appear in Penrith Local Court today, 28 March 2025, over his alleged involvement in a methamphetamine import plot involving 99 kilograms of the drug smuggled from China.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) launched the investigation in October 2024 after Australian Border Force (ABF) officials flagged a suspicious shipment that arrived in Sydney. The consignment, falsely labelled as “universal transmission gears,” was found to contain the illicit drug hidden inside four boxes.
Authorities removed the methamphetamine before conducting a controlled delivery of the shipment to a self-storage facility in Girraween, a suburb in western Sydney.
On 3 January 2025, two men were seen accessing the storage unit. Investigators allege the 39-year-old Hunter man, now charged, handled the packaging linked to the delivery.
Later that month, on 30 January 2025, AFP officers executed a search warrant at the man’s residence in Raymond Terrace. They seized a mobile phone, cash, suspected illegal substances, a replica firearm, and prohibited weapons.
The man has been formally charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug—methamphetamine—under subsections 11.1(1) and 307.5(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth). The offence carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The second man observed at the Girraween facility has not been charged.
According to AFP Detective Superintendent Peter Fogarty, the seized drugs had an estimated street value of $91 million, equating to approximately 990,000 individual deals.
“Methamphetamine is a devastating drug. Its impact reaches beyond users to harm families and communities,” Det Supt Fogarty said. “Criminal networks will go to great lengths to profit from these harmful substances, regardless of the destruction they cause.”
Acting ABF Superintendent Michael Ferguson praised the continuous vigilance of border force officers in combating drug smuggling attempts.
“Our officers are highly trained in using advanced detection methods to stop drugs from entering the country,” Ferguson said. “Methamphetamine causes immense damage in our communities, and we remain committed to keeping it off Australian streets.”
This case underscores the ongoing collaboration between Australian law enforcement agencies to disrupt the operations of international drug syndicates.
28 March 2025
Source: AFP
