National media release
Woman caught at Sydney Airport
Tuesday, 08 April 2008
This is a joint Australian Federal Police and Customs Media Release
A 23-year-old Malaysian woman will face Sydney Central Local Court today charged with smuggling drugs into Australia.
Customs officers at Sydney International Airport stopped the woman for a baggage check after she arrived on a flight from Hanoi, Vietnam, yesterday.
It will be alleged in court that when Customs officers x-rayed her baggage they noticed a possible concealment in the bottom of a suitcase. The officer subsequently drilled into the suitcase where they discovered a white powder.
Preliminary testing of the powder indicated the substance to be heroin.
The woman was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the bag is currently the subject of forensic testing to determine the quantity and purity of the substance.
The woman was charged with importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled substance under Section 307.21 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code Act 1995.
The maximum penalty for this offence is 25 years imprisonment.
Media enquiries:
AFP Media (Canberra): (02) 6275 7100