Dual Irish citizen detained in Australia for alleged drug smuggling

A man has been charged for allegedly attempting to smuggle about 25kg of methamphetamine into Australia from Thailand.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) said that the 38-year-old was detained at Sydney Airport when he arrived on a flight on Monday.

He has been described as a UK-Ireland dual citizen.

Australian Border Force (ABF) officers searched the man’s suitcase and bag when he arrived on a flight on Tuesday 28 October and allegedly located about 25 packages, each containing 1kg of white powder.

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Preliminary testing returned a positive result for methamphetamine, more commonly known as crystal meth.

AFP officers subsequently arrested and charged the man with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.

He appeared at the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney on Tuesday and is expected to next appear in court on 8 January 2025.

The man was one of four people involved in three separate alleged plots to smuggle a total of 103kg of illicit drugs - 77kg of methamphetamine and 26kg of cocaine - into Australia through Melbourne and Sydney airports across 24 hours.

AFP Superintendent Morgen Blunden said the AFP had identified an increase in alleged drug mules attempting to import illicit drugs through Australian airports in recent months.

“The AFP and its law enforcement partners are closely tracking the rise in drug mules attempting to smuggle illicit drugs into Australia, and each arrest and seizure highlights our strong commitment to tackling this threat,” Supt Blunden said.

“If 77kg of methamphetamine and 26kg of cocaine had reached our streets, it had the potential to facilitate more than 900,000 individual street deals. This amount of drugs had a combined estimated street value of more than $80 million and could cause tens of millions of dollars in harm to the Australian community.

“These arrests should send a strong warning to drug couriers attempting to smuggle illicit drugs into Australia – no matter how you try to move your drugs, the AFP, together with our colleagues at ABF, will be waiting for you.”