Two men appeared before the NSW Bail Division Court yesterday (7 August, 2026) charged over their alleged role in the importation of 13kg of methamphetamine from Germany.
An investigation began after Australian Border Force (ABF) officers examined a vehicle transmission imported inside a shipping container on its arrival into Sydney on 27 July, 2026. During the examination, officers located five plastic bags containing a white powder concealed within the transmission.
Preliminary testing returned a positive result for methamphetamine and the matter was referred to the AFP.
AFP investigators replaced the illicit drugs with an inert substance and conducted a controlled delivery of the vehicle transmission to an industrial site in Girraween, in Sydney's west, on Thursday (6 August, 2026).
The AFP will allege a 41-year-old Oatlands man and an 18-year-old Fairfield Heights man worked together to collect the consignment.
It will be alleged the younger man used false details to accept delivery of the consignment before accessing the vehicle transmission and transporting it to a street in Greystanes, where it was to be provided to the older man.
AFP investigators arrested the 41-year-old man at the Greystanes location. The AFP will allege the 18-year-old man and a third unidentified man fled the scene, with the teenager arrested following a short foot pursuit.
Inquiries into the identity of the third man remain ongoing.
Both men were charged with attempting to possess a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.5(1) of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The 41-year-old man was also charged with importing a commercial quantity of methamphetamine, contrary to section 307.1 of the Criminal Code (Cth).
The offences carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The men appeared before the NSW Bail Division Court yesterday (7 August, 2026) and will return to court at a later date.
AFP Detective Superintendent Morgen Blunden said criminal syndicates continued to use elaborate concealment methods when attempting to evade border controls, but the AFP remained committed to identifying those involved.
"Criminal groups are motivated by profit, but show little regard for the devastation illicit drugs can cause in Australian communities," Det Supt Blunden said.
"Criminals who seek to profit from the importation of illicit drugs should expect that law enforcement will use every available tool to identify, investigate and prosecute those responsible.
"Methamphetamine causes significant harm to Australian communities, and the AFP remains committed to disrupting criminal networks that seek to import and distribute these dangerous substances."
ABF Superintendent Asha Patwardhan said this detection highlighted the critical role highly skilled border force officers played in protecting the Australian community from harm.
"Organised crime groups are constantly evolving their concealment techniques, but so too are our intelligence, targeting and detection capabilities to stay ahead of these methodologies," Superintendent Patwardhan said.
"ABF officers use targeted, intelligence-based profiling to identify high risk imported consignments, and sophisticated technology to inspect them for any irregularities.
""We will, continue to deny organised criminals the opportunity to profit at the expense of the Australian public."
