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Thursday, February 13, 2025

Man jailed for 9 years over drugs hidden in suitcase lining

An Austrian man has been sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment for importing 1.8 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed within the lining of a suitcase – with police saying the haul could have resulted in more than 18,000 individual drug deals.

Police say the man arrived into Sydney International Airport on a flight from Qatar in February last year with the drugs secreted in his suitcase – the seizure valued at around $1.3 million. 

Australian Border Force (ABF) officers detected anomalies upon a routine examination of the medium-sized suitcase the man brought with him. ABF officers located a substance within the lining of the suitcase, which tested positive to methamphetamine. 

The detection was reported to Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers, who subsequently arrested the 30-year-old Austrian man. 

He was charged with one count of importing of a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug.

AFP Forensics calculated the pure weight of the methamphetamine to be 1837.5 grams.  

In July 2020, the matter was heard at the Downing Centre Local Court where a jury found the man guilty of importing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine. 

He appeared via video link yesterday and was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment, with a non-parole period of five years and six months.

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