A Northern Territory man appeared in Darwin Local Court today (24 April, 2025) charged with the alleged importation and possession of more than 4kg of ketamine.
It is believed to be the Northern Territory's largest ketamine seizure.
The man, 32, who was arrested yesterday (23 April, 2025), is due to face court again on 2 May.
A Northern Territory Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (NT JOCTF) investigation began in April 2025, after Australian Border Force (ABF) members at Sydney Airport identified a consignment suspected of containing ketamine that arrived on a flight from Germany.
Investigators from NT JOCTF, which comprises of members from the AFP, Northern Territory Police, ABF and Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), replaced the illicit drugs - which were disguised in several sports energy drink and protein bar packages - with an inert substance.
After retrieving the crystallised ketamine from the packages, officers determined the estimated weight of the illicit drugs to be 4.08kg. This amount of ketamine has an estimated street value of $800,000.
The parcel was then delivered to its intended address in Zuccoli, near Darwin, where officers allegedly observed a man signing and taking possession of the delivery.
NT JOCFT investigators then executed a search warrant at the property and arrested the man.
During the search, officers allegedly located the opened parcel containing the substituted illicit drugs.
The man, 32, was charged with the following offences:
- One count of importing a commercial quantity of ketamine, contrary to section 307.1(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth);
- One count of possessing a dangerous drug, contrary to section 7(1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1990 (NT); and
- One count of supply a dangerous drug, contrary to section 5(1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1990 (NT).
Each of these offences carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
AFP Superintendent Greg Davis said the AFP and its law enforcement, intelligence and border agency partners worked tirelessly to identify, target and disrupt criminal syndicates in their attempts to import and distribute illicit drugs into Australia.
"The AFP, together with our partners under the NT JOCTF have prevented ketamine from reaching Australian streets under this investigation," Supt Davis said.
"Our investigators continue to work collaboratively to ensure Australia remains a hostile environment for criminal syndicates in order to prevent any form of illicit drugs from entering the Australian community and causing widespread harm.
"Ketamine specifically is a dangerous sedative; its dissociative effects block sensory brain signals and can cause memory loss, feelings of being detached from one's body and the inability to perceive dangers.
"This operation should serve as a significant warning to transnational serious organised crime syndicates - the AFP and our partners remain one step ahead of your illicit activities and will ensure you are brought to justice."
NT Police Force Detective Superintendent Lee Morgan said NT Police Force reiterated that these drugs were manufactured in unregulated and unhygienic conditions, and anyone choosing to use them was gambling with their life.
"We will continue to work closely with our partner agencies to combat imports of illicit substances into the Northern Territory," Supt Morgan said.
