A 35-year-old Brazilian national has been charged with attempting to import approximately three kilograms of cocaine into Melbourne International Airport.
On Tuesday, 17 October, the man arrived in Melbourne on a flight from Brazil and was selected for a baggage examination by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers.
During the examination, ABF officers detected a white-powder substance in the base of a suitcase. Initial testing returned a positive result for cocaine.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers attended and charged the man with two offences:
- one count of importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drug, namely cocaine, contrary to subsection 307.1(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth); and
- one count of possessing a commercial quantity of a controlled border drug, namely cocaine, contrary to subsection 307.5(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
The maximum penalty for these offences is life imprisonment.
The man is scheduled to appear before Melbourne Magistrate’s Court today (18 October).