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04 February 2020, 8:29am
Media Release

Two sentenced over 394.9kgs of meth found inside car bonnets

Two men have been jailed over the 2018 seizure of 394.9 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, concealed inside car bonnets shipped from Malaysia to Sydney.

An 18-year-old man and 20-year-old man were sentenced yesterday in Sydney Central Local Court to a maximum of five and a half years and nine years’ imprisonment respectively.

Australian authorities alleged in court the two men were to receive the consignment of illicit drugs before passing it on to other members of a criminal syndicate responsible for the importation.

Investigations into the criminal syndicate are ongoing and the AFP asks for anyone with information about this matter to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The seizure of methamphetamine took place on 28 November 2018, when the Australian Border Force (ABF) identified and examined a container that arrived in Port Botany from Malaysia.

During the examination, ABF officers identified anomalies in three crates, which were found to contain dozens of car bonnets. Upon further examination, ABF officers located a crystalline substance inside the skin of the bonnets. The substance was tested and gave a positive indication for methamphetamine.

The detection was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

AFP crime scene investigators examined and deconstructed the 71 car bonnets contained within three crates. Later analysis by AFP forensics specialists determined the consignment’s final weight and purity of 394.9kg of pure methamphetamine.

AFP officers then conducted investigative activities to identify the intended recipients of the drugs.

On Friday 7 December 2018, a number of search warrants were executed by AFP officers in the Sydney suburbs of Granville, Rhodes and Penshurst, where police arrested the two men.

The 18-year-old man was charged with:

  • 1 count x attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.5, by virtue of section 11.1, of the Criminal Code (Cth).
  • He was sentenced to 5.5 years, with a non-parole period of 3 years’ imprisonment.

The investigation into the seizure of methamphetamine resulted in the 20-year-old man also being charged and prosecuted for a prior importation of 3.94 kilograms of pure MDMA seized by ABF on 21 October 2018. He was charged with:

  • 2 counts x attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, namely methamphetamine and MDMA, contrary to section 307.5, by virtue of section 11.1, of the Criminal Code (Cth).
  • He was sentenced to 9 years, with a non-parole period of 5.5 years’ imprisonment.

For free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drug treatment services, call the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015.

The original media release on this operation can be found here:

https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/two-charged-after-490-kilograms-meth-found-inside-car-bonnets

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