A 50-year-old US woman faced Downing Centre Local Court on 11 April 2025 after allegedly trying to smuggle 17 kilograms of methamphetamine into Australia hidden in her luggage.
AFP Detective Superintendent Peter Fogarty said the arrest highlighted the continued efforts to stop drug trafficking via international travel routes.
“The AFP is committed to disrupting criminal networks and their blatant disregard for the health and well-being of our community.”
The woman was charged by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) on 10 April 2025 after she reported her missing suitcase upon arrival from San Francisco at Sydney Airport — a move that inadvertently led authorities to discover the illicit cargo.
Airline staff assisting with the luggage claim spotted a bag bearing her surname and alerted Australian Border Force (ABF) officers. Upon inspection, officers allegedly found vacuum-sealed packages containing a white crystalline substance concealed within packing cubes. Preliminary testing confirmed the substance as methamphetamine.
ABF Superintendent Elke West added that the case served as a stark warning to anyone considering using Australia’s airports to smuggle drugs.
“ABF officers work closely with airline staff and law enforcement partners to intercept potential threats at the border,” Supt West said.
“If you attempt to import illicit drugs into this country, you will be stopped in your tracks.”
The AFP seized the suitcase, along with the woman’s mobile phone and other personal items, for forensic analysis. She was subsequently arrested and charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment under the Criminal Code 1995 (Cth).
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