$19m amphetamines by courier; 93kg heroin via registered firm

Police have arrested six men in Australia and Britain for allegedly smuggling amphetamines from the United Kingdom halfway around the world through a courier service.

The Australian Crime Commission said in a statement Tuesday that 8 kilogrammes (18 pounds) of the illicit drug, worth at least 20 million Australian dollars ($19 million), were intercepted in Queensland and Tasmania states.

The arrests Monday were the result of a joint investigation involving England's West Mercia Police, Australian Federal Police and the state police forces in Queensland and Tasmania.

Police arrested a man in Britain, three in Tasmania and two in Queensland. The Australians were due to appear in courts on drug charges on Tuesday, while the British man has not yet been charged.

Heroin smuggler hires registered firm for the job

Colombo - The exact weight of the heroin retrieved from three plastic moulding machines imported from Pakistan was 93kg and 760 grammes, with a street value of Rs656.32 million, Sri Lanka Customs spokesman Leslie Gamini told the media.

That was only half the story. The fact that the importer had hired a company registered with the Lankan customs to move the ‘hidden’ merchandise, and had it registered under ‘general import’ category, was of much more interest to the officials.

Sources also say the officials believe the company owner should be held responsible. The case will be handed over the Police Narcotic Bureau.
 

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