Australian police seize £681m meth stash from US‑bound machinery

In Australia, law enforcement has detained a 31-year-old citizen of Zimbabwe who is suspected of smuggling nearly a tonne of methamphetamine from the United States. The value of the smuggled drugs is estimated at an astronomical sum of £681 million. The man, if found guilty, faces a life sentence in prison.

The arrest occurred after Australian police discovered over 900 kilograms of drugs hidden in industrial machinery that had been imported from the United States to Sydney. The drugs were carefully packed in 9 million parcels, which, according to police, were intended for the east coast market of Australia.

Information about the suspected smuggler reached Australia's authorities from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The American agency noticed frequent purchases of digital machines in the USA by a small furniture store located in Sydney. After conducting an investigation, it was found that behind these transactions was drug smuggling using the "piggybacking" method. This method involves the use of the distribution network of companies with an established import history. In this particular case, the ordering party was a drug cartel.

Detective Peter Fogarty, an inspector with the Australian Federal Police, emphasised in an interview with the media that the arrest of the Zimbabwean citizen would have a significant impact on the drug trade in New South Wales. "Methamphetamine is the second most commonly used drug in Australia, and its impact can be felt across the community, in our homes and hospitals," said Fogarty.

A report from the Australian Institute of Health from 2021–2022 shows that the problem of methamphetamine use is serious. On average, 27 people per day were hospitalised due to issues related to this drug.