Meth imported in printer cartridges, woman charged

A 27 year-old female has been charged with importing 7 kilograms of methamphetamine in several boxes of printer cartridges into Australia.

The Customs agency last month intercepted three boxes of printer cartridges at Sydney Airport's air cargo facility, and upon inspection found them to contain a white powder instead of toner, later confirmed to be methamphetamine.

When an additional package arrived two days later and was similarly found to contain white powder, the Australian Federal Police and Customs identified the recipient and conducted a "controlled" delivery of the four boxes to a Melbourne CBD address.

Customs today said the 27 year-old female had been arrested and charged after receiving and accessing the boxes.

The Hong Kong national has been charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, and attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment.

“This importation is at the higher end of the scale for mail items, and [this] arrest is yet another example of Australian law enforcement agencies sharing information, intelligence and resources to bring criminals to account," AFP Manager Serious and Organised Crime Scott Lee said.

Last month two Chinese men were charged in Brisbane for importing meth in audio equipment.

Customs in September examined two packages at the Brisbane International Mail Facility and found bags with a "suspicious white crystalline substance" in car power amplifiers in place of circuit boards.

After tests revealed the powder to be meth, the AFP sent the packages on to their intended destination of the South Brisbane Post Office and arrested the two men who arrived to collect the packages.

Officers later searched a Southport, Gold Coast residence and found similar empty audio equipment boxes, clip-seal plastic bags and two metal bowls containing traces of white powder, and electronic scales.

The 23 and 25 year-old men were each charged with importing and attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.