SYDNEY, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Australian authorities on Tuesday have warned the public of the lengths some criminals will go to, after a U.S. woman travelling from San Francisco was allegedly caught at Sydney airport with 13 kg of the illegal drug methamphetamine hidden inside children's toys.
Disclosed by the Australian Border Force (ABF) on Tuesday, Sunday's incident was a stark reminder for Australian Federal Police (AFP) Sydney Airport Commander Superintendent Peter Mullins to stay "on the lookout for anyone employing unusual methods in an attempt to import illicit drugs."
"The fact criminals are willing to use children's toys to smuggle such harmful drugs into this country demonstrates the importance of continued vigilance at our borders," he said.
Stopped for a baggage examination after her flight, ABF personnel found 25 suspicious packages hidden inside four boxes of toys, which later tested positive for methamphetamine.
While the exact weight and purity of the drugs is still yet to be determined by authorities, the 37-year-old was charged with importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs.
If found guilty, the woman could face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Pleased with the efforts of the arresting officers, ABF Regional Commander of New South Wales State Danielle Yannopoulos said no matter how hard criminals try to hide drugs, officers have the skills, training and technology to detect them.
"With our partner agencies we will do everything in our power to stop illicit drugs from reaching our shores and shut down the criminal syndicates responsible for trying to bring them here."
