Woman busted for importing meth in printer cartridges

A 27 year-old female has been charged with importing seven kilograms of methamphetamine into Australia hidden inside several boxes of printer cartridges.

Methamphetamine discovered in printer cartridges.

The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service last month intercepted three boxes of printer cartridges at Sydney Airport's air cargo facility, and found them to contain a white powder - later confirmed to be methamphetamine - instead of toner.

When an additional package arrived two days later and was similarly found to contain white powder, the Australian Federal Police and Customs identified the recipient and conducted a "controlled" delivery of the four boxes to a Melbourne CBD address.

Customs today said a 27 year-old female had been arrested and charged after receiving and accessing the boxes.

The Hong Kong national has been charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, and attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment.

“This importation is at the higher end of the scale for mail items, and [this] arrest is yet another example of Australian law enforcement agencies sharing information, intelligence and resources to bring criminals to account," AFP's manager  of serious and organised crime Scott Lee said.

Last month two Chinese men were charged in Brisbane for importing methamphetamine in audio equipment.

Customs in September examined two packages at the Brisbane international mail facility and found bags containing a "suspicious white crystalline substance" hidden inside car power amplifiers in place of circuit boards.

After tests revealed the powder to be methamphetamine, the AFP sent the packages on to their intended destination in south Brisbane and arrested two men when they arrived to collect them.

Officers later searched a Gold Coast residence and found similar empty audio equipment boxes, clip-seal plastic bags and two metal bowls containing traces of white powder, and electronic scales.

The 23 and 25 year-old men were each charged with importing and attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.