Two Queensland men have been sentenced to imprisonment by the Darwin Supreme Court today (10 June, 2025) over a plot to import more than 100 grams of cocaine into the Northern Territory in a package of sneakers and food.
One man, 35, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with 15 months to serve before being released on a 21-month suspended sentence. His accomplice, 36, was given 18 months' imprisonment, with six months' already served, then to be released on a 12-month suspended sentence.
The AFP charged the men after an investigation which began on 6 June, 2024, when Australian Border Force (ABF) officers examined an air cargo consignment that arrived in Australia from Peru.
Inside the shoebox they found 131 grams of a white powder, which presumptive tests showed was cocaine, hidden inside a pair of sneakers, with food items also filling the box. ABF immediately reported it to the AFP and AFP officers seized the cocaine and replaced it with a substitute. The AFP then facilitated a controlled delivery of the item to a parcel collection point in Casuarina, Darwin, on 12 June, 2024.
The following day on 13 June, 2024, the AFP arrested the two men when they attempted to collect the consignment.
Forensic tests found the substance was 103.2 grams of pure cocaine.
On 21 May, 2025, the 35-year-old man pleaded guilty to attempting to possess a marketable quantity of an unlawfully imported border-controlled drug, contrary to section 11.1 with section 307.6(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
His accomplice, 36, pleaded guilty on the same date to one count of aiding and abetting an attempt to possess a marketable quantity of a border-controlled drug, contrary to sections 11.2(1) with 11.1(1) with section 307.6(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
AFP Superintendent Greg Davis said the AFP worked closely with ABF and other partners to stop criminals from smuggling illicit drugs into Australia.
"While it might seem like a relatively small amount of cocaine, it has an estimated street value of more than $65,900 and equated to hundreds of individual street deals of 0.2 grams," Supt Davis said.
"In 2022-23 there were 985 cocaine-related hospitalisations nationally*, more than two each day on average, which puts immense pressure on our health systems.
"The AFP, ABF and our partners are committed to stopping illicit drugs from entering Australia and inflicting harm in our communities."
ABF Commander Tracie Griffin said the imprisonment of these two men underscored the unwavering resolve of law enforcement agencies to stop illicit drugs at the border before they could harm the Australian community.
"Our officers work tirelessly - leveraging intelligence, technology and our domestic and international partnerships - to detect and disrupt criminal syndicates," Commander Griffin said.
"If you try to profit from the harm caused by illicit drugs, no matter how you attempt to hide them, the ABF and our partners will find you and bring you to justice."
*Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
