Tuesday 8 July 2008
DRUG MULES RISKING DEATH
The Minister for Home Affairs, Bob Debus, has warned people of the huge risk they face when attempting to smuggle drugs inside their bodies, after six internal drug detections at Australian airports and the hospitalisation of two people in the past 11 days.
“Drug mules are risking their lives in futile attempts to beat Australia’s strict border controls.
“Customs officers are highly skilled at detecting passengers who may be concealing drugs internally and work with state and federal law enforcement agencies to stop criminal syndicates from resorting to this dangerous practice.
“This is a particularly insidious method of smuggling drugs and the Australian Federal Police is also working with law enforcement in Australia and overseas to dismantle organised crime networks that lure people into becoming drug mules.
“The methods used by drug traffickers to package drugs so that they can be carried internally are not safe. The risk of the drugs leaking into the courier’s body is high and the medical consequences for that person can be life threatening.
“Not only do these people risk their health and lengthy jail sentences in Australia, they can also face severe penalties, including death, in the countries they transit.”
Six people faced Australian courts in the past 10 days charged with importing a marketable quantity of heroin including:
• three 49-year-old Chinese men who arrived in Sydney on a flight from Hong Kong on 29 June
• a 50-year-old Australian woman who arrived in Melbourne on a flight from Vietnam on 2 July
• a 41-year-old South African man who arrived in Sydney on a flight from Johannesburg on 3 July
• a 52-year-old Australian man who arrived in Melbourne off a flight from Vietnam on 5 July.
The maximum penalty for importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug is 25 years imprisonment and/or a fine of $550,000.
Media Contact: Samantha Wills 0448 721 372