This was published 5 months ago

Grandfather found guilty after claiming he unknowingly smuggled 2.5kg of heroin into Sydney Airport

Miklos Bolza

Updated April 1, 2026 - 11.17am. First published at 4.42am

Claims that a grandfather was unaware a foldable camp bed contained illicit drugs despite being offered millions to bring it into Australia have been rejected by a jury.

Border Officials stopped Barry James Calverley at Sydney International Airport on a flight from Laos via Vietnam on January 24, 2024.

He was carrying a green bag containing a camp bed with a mosquito net, which had 48 packages of heroin hidden within the metal frame.

About 2.5kg of pure heroin was found in a camp bed a 70-year-old man brought into Australia. Australian Federal Police

The 70-year-old was found guilty of one count of importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug by a NSW District Court jury today.

Jurors returned the verdict after deliberating for just over eight hours.

They were told at trial that Calverley was offered $10 million to bring the camp bed from Laos to Australia.

Border Officials stopped Barry James Calverley at Sydney International Airport on a flight from Laos via Vietnam on January 24, 2024. 9News

Commonwealth prosecutor Sheridan Goodwin told the jury the total weight of pure heroin within the bed was around 2.5kg.

In late 2023, Calverley received an email stating that a payment of more than $14 million was waiting for him.

This was reduced to $10 million after he was directed to pick up some documents in the Laotian capital of Vientiane and return with a "gift" to someone called the "paymaster general" in Sydney.