KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 — A 38-year-old Malaysian man, suspected of being an “internal courier”, was forced to expel 16 drug-filled pellets at Avalon Airport after arriving in Victoria, Australia on a flight from Kuala Lumpur last Tuesday.
The Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force said the man was arrested for attempting to import about 700 grams of a substance containing heroin through Avalon Airport hidden in his bag and inside his body.
“On Tuesday 25 June Australian Border Force (ABF) officers at Avalon Airport targeted the male passenger for a baggage examination after he arrived on a flight from Kuala Lumpur.
“During the bag-search, officers identified two black wrapped pellets which returned a presumptive positive result for heroin. ABF officers then became concerned the man may be concealing further drugs internally and notified the Victorian Ambulance Service and the Australian Federal Police (AFP),” they said in a joint media statement today.
Further examination revealed the man had three more of the same pellets inside him.
He was later taken into custody by Australian police officers and transported to hospital where 13 more pellets were expelled, all containing heroin. The exact weight from the pellets of drugs is being tested.
A statement on the APF’s Facebook page said that the man expelled 16 pellets, bringing the total to 18, including two he was carrying in his bag.
The man who was not named by the Australian authorities was taken to the Magistrates Court in Melbourne and charged on June 26 with “importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug, namely heroin, contrary to section 307.2 of the Criminal Code 1995”, which is punishable with a maximum jail sentence of 25 years under Australian law.
The Australian authorities did not state how the man pled, but added that he is to remain in police custody until his next court appearance on September 17.
In a warning against organised crime syndicates, the AFP and ABF said the smuggling drugs inside one’s body is not only repulsive, but dangerous and risky.
“This is the reality of internal drug trafficking, it starts on the streets and ends with a big ole mess in a hospital bathroom. It’s not only disgusting, it’s life-threatening – for both couriers AND drug users,” they said.
“Fun Friday fact — if a courier has to expel any drugs during their journey, they will find themselves having an impromptu in flight meal,” the AFP added on Facebook.
