Airline employee allegedly tries to smuggle drugs in shampoo bottles at Sydney Airport

An airline employee has landed behind bars for allegedly trying to smuggle commercial drugs in shampoo bottles at Sydney Airport.

The employee, a 29-year-old man from Newtown, was working on an international flight from South Africa and arrived in Sydney on Saturday.

Border force officers were examining baggage and found three shampoo bottles and a water bottle in a sealed bag wrapped in clothing.

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They contained about 4.1 litres of liquid, which was tested and allegedly tested positive for gamma butyrolactone (GBL).

Federal officers were called in and arrested the man before charging him with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.

The offence carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

"We will allege the man charged abused his trusted position as an airline employee and sought to use that access to smuggle a commercial quantity of drugs into Australia," Australian Federal Police detective acting superintendent Dom Stephenson said.

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Australian Border Force superintendent Elke West said criminal syndicates tried to exploit and recruit people to advance drug trafficking ventures.

"Our ABF officers use several detection capabilities to identify passengers and crew who may be attempting to thwart our border controls," West said.

"With the evolving threat of trusted insiders, border agencies will continue to try and target any vulnerability within the supply chain."

The 29-year-old faced Downing Centre Local Court yesterday, where he was remanded in custody to return to the same court on February 4.

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