April 21 () –
Australian authorities have arrested and charged four American citizens for attempting to smuggle cocaine into the country on a flight from the United States to Melbourne, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) reported this Sunday in a statement.
“A dangerous amount of cocaine has been seized as a result of intelligence sharing between Australian and international law enforcement agencies. This attempted importation of approximately 30 kilos of cocaine had an estimated street value of almost $10 million, had it arrived to our streets,” explained AFP Detective Superintendent Simone Butcher.
Among those detained is a 55-year-old US citizen accused of “planning and supervising the transnational drug courier syndicate”, detained in Melbourne days after arriving from Los Angeles.
According to the AFP report, the man supervised three women also from the United States, aged 22, 24 and 35, who were traveling on a different flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne with a total of 30 kilograms of cocaine hidden in their luggage. . The three women were detained upon arrival in the Australian city.
Australian Border Force agents searched six suitcases and found packages in each of them that, after being tested, tested positive for cocaine.
The four defendants, who will appear in court on August 5, 2024, each now face a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted.
