Durban - A drug kingpin, who imported 63 kilograms of methamphetamine inside a consignment of meat smokers which arrived in Melbourne from South Africa, has been sentenced to 16 years imprisonment.
The man was found guilty of jointly attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.
According to Australian Federal Police (AFP), the drugs had an estimated street value of more than $12 million.
"The Victorian Joint Organised Crime Task Force launched an investigation on January 4, 2021. AFP officers found the drugs inside the meat smokers sent from Cape Town. On January 15, 2021, police executed search warrants at properties in St Albans and Sunshine North in Melbourne," authorities said.
AFP superintendent Jason McArthur said it would continue to deliver results for the Australian community in the fight against transnational serious organised crime.
McArthur said authorities continue to identify and disrupt drug syndicates.
In 2020, police seized electric frying pans headed for Australia containing methamphetamine with a street value of R1.2 million.
At the time, metro police said it received information from a source regarding a suspicious cargo consignment.
Police said the cargo consignment was inspected, with assistance of the courier company at their depot and noted irregularities in the construction of the pan units that led to the discovery of 12 bags of suspected methamphetamine.
IOL