Airline employee allegedly smuggled $500K heroin stash into Melbourne
An airline employee has been charged after she was caught allegedly attempting to carry more than one kilogram of heroin off her flight into Melbourne last week.
The 26-year-old Thai national had been working on board an international flight which landed at Melbourne airport last Thursday, June 25.
One of the 12 tote bags the airline employee allegedly attempted to bring in to Melbourne airport. AFP
She disembarked carrying 12 tote bags, which were flagged by the Australian Border Force (ABF) during X-ray screening.
When the bags were examined more closely, a white powder was discovered hidden inside the bags’ linings, which during presumptive testing allegedly returned a positive result for heroin.
The drugs had an estimated street value of $500,000.
The Australian Federal Police seized the tote bags and arrested the woman.
She has since been charged with possessing and importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug.
Both offences carry a maximum prison time of 25 years.
The woman has been denied bail and is expected to face the charges in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 14.
When the bags were examined more closely, ABF officers found a white powder concealed inside the lining. AFP
ABF Commander Clint Sims said criminal syndicates often targeted trusted insiders, including airline crew, as part of their attempts to smuggle illicit substances into Australia.
“Anyone attempting to import illicit drugs into Australia, regardless of rank or position, will be targeted and face the full force of the law,” he said.
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