The Sydney Morning Herald reported on August 2 that a Sydney man was arrested and could face life imprisonment after being anonymously reported on suspicion of smuggling nearly 900 kilograms of methamphetamine into Australia from United States in industrial equipment.
Last month, the police received a call from a crime hotline alerting them to the drug smuggling case. The United States Department of Homeland Security has also provided information to Australia that the drugs may have been imported from the United States.
Officers of the Australian Border Force found and removed 896 kilograms of methamphetamine from a container in Port Botany, the report said. At the time, the drugs had been packaged into multiple individual small parcels hidden inside two CNC machines commonly used in manufacturing, and were expected to be shipped to a location at Warwick Farm.
Police said the drugs were imported through a "free-rider" strategy, whereby the contraband was transported with goods from a legitimate business with a history of importation, and then transferred to a criminal gang upon arrival in Australia.
The seized drugs are estimated to have amounted to nearly 9 million street transactions, with a black market value of $828 million.
Police said the drug was planned to be distributed on the "eastern seaboard."
On Wednesday, Michael Charumbira, 31, was arrested at a property at Warwick Farm, along with another man, who was later released pending further investigation.
It is alleged that Charumbira had opened and attempted to dispose of items placed inside the machine prior to his arrest.
Charumbira, an Australian of Zimbabwe descent, has been charged with attempting to possess commercial quantities of border-controlled drugs, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Police said the drug import was part of a large criminal gang and more arrests were expected in the future.
Australian Federal Police Inspector General Peter Fogarty said the operation would have a significant impact on the drug trade in NSW.
"Methamphetamine is the second most consumed illicit drug in Australia and its effects are felt throughout the community, our families and hospitals."
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