Four charged over $78 million drug haul

Customs and Australian Federal Police (AFP) have prevented more than 300 kilograms of illegal drugs from being smuggled into Australia inside fibreglass foot spas.

The drugs were detected by Customs officers in a consignment of foot spas and massage chairs that arrived at the Port of Melbourne in sea cargo from Canada on 5 June.

Customs conducted an x-ray analysis and discovered 124 kilograms of cocaine, 66 kilograms of methylamphetamines and 121 kilograms of MDMA inside the base of 13 foot spas. The estimated street value of the drugs is $78 million.

AFP agents monitored the delivery to a Braybrook address in Melbourne’s western suburbs. They arrested four men and executed search warrants at North Fitzroy, Footscray, Braybrook and Melbourne overnight.

A 41-year-old Canadian man and a 26-year-old St Albans man will face Melbourne Magistrates Court today charged with importing commercial quantities of cocaine, methylamphetamine (ice) and MDMA (ecstasy).

A 46-year-old Werribee man was charged with attempting to possess commercial quantities of cocaine, methylamphetamine (ice) and MDMA (ecstasy) and a 26-year-old Kings Park man was charged with possessing commercial quantities of cocaine, methylamphetamine (ice) and MDMA (ecstasy). Both will face Melbourne Magistrates Court today.

Customs National Manager for Cargo Operations South Graham Krisohos said Customs worked closely with its international network to detect major drug shipments.

“Syndicates will use just about any method of concealment to try and smuggle drugs into Australia,” Mr Krisohos said.

“What this seizure demonstrates is we have the intelligence and the technology to find these shipments, no matter how sophisticated the manner of import.”

AFP National Manager Border and International Tim Morris said the AFP worked closely with its law enforcement partners to combat the importation of illegal narcotics.

“The range of illegal commodities within this consignment highlights the organised nature of international drug smuggling,” Assistant Commissioner Morris said.

“This is a significant seizure, saving the community more than $90 million in associated health and social costs.”

The maximum penalty for these offences is life imprisonment and/or an $825,000 fine.