Over 100kg of MDMA powder seized in Sydney

This is a joint media release between the AFP and Customs

A joint Customs and Australian Federal Police (AFP) operation has led to the arrest of an Israeli national on the NSW mid-north coast yesterday and the seizure of 113kgs of MDMA (ecstasy) powder in Sydney.

The AFP arrested the 46-year-old man at Bellingen yesterday and he was charged with importing the MDMA. He is expected to appear in Coffs Harbour Local Court today.

The AFP will allege in court that the man imported the MDMA powder inside hot water systems from Israel.

The operation began on 31 March when Customs officers at the Customs container examination facility at Port Botany targeted a cargo shipment of solar hot water systems sent from Israel.

The hot water systems were x-rayed, with three of the six cylinders shown to have anomalies.

Further Customs examinations located 172 tennis ball cans inside the systems that contained powder. A sample from one of the packages tested positive for MDMA.

Customs referred the matter to the AFP, which substituted the package with an inert substance and monitored the delivery of the package to a warehouse in the Sydney suburb of Artarmon.

AFP agents arrested the man yesterday morning after executing two search warrants at a property near the NSW mid-north coast town of Bellingen. Search warrants were also executed on the Artarmon warehouse, a property in Marrickville and a vehicle in the City.

An additional search warrant was executed on a Melbourne residence, where AFP members seized approximately $25,000 in cash.

Customs NSW Regional Director Gail Batman said the seizure illustrated the efforts of both agencies to work together to effectively intercept and prevent illegal drugs from reaching the Australian community.

“Using high-level x-ray equipment, Customs officers were able to locate the drugs concealed in the hot water tanks,” she said.

“It was a sophisticated attempt to smuggle drugs into the country which has been foiled by a combination of expertise and technology.”

AFP Sydney Office Manager David Stewart said the joint operation had prevented a significant amount of a dangerous drug from making it onto Australian streets.

“Depending on the purity of the powder, which will be determined by further AFP forensic testing, it could have been used to manufacture at least 1.2 million tablets of ecstasy,” Federal Agent Stewart said.

“This means the street value of this powder could be worth more than $37 million,” he said.

The man was charged with one count of importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drug, namely MDMA, under Section 307.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995. He was also charged with one count of attempt to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug under Section 307.5 by virtue of Section 11.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995.

The maximum penalty for this offence is $825,000 and/or life imprisonment.

Media Conference

A joint press conference will be held today at noon at AFP Headquarters in Sydney.

Time: Noon

Address: 110 Goulburn Street, Sydney South

Media inquiries:
AFP Media (02) 6275 7100

Customs Corporate Communication (02) 6275 6793

Photographs are available on the Customs website at www.customs.gov.au